Thermal Spin-Transfer Torques in Magnetoelectronic Devices

TL;DR

This paper predicts that magnetization in ferromagnets can be reversed using spin-transfer torque generated by spin-polarized heat currents, introducing a thermoelectric approach to magnetic switching.

Contribution

It introduces a novel concept of thermally induced spin-transfer torque for magnetization control in magnetoelectronic devices.

Findings

Spin heat accumulation occurs in normal metal spacers.

Thermoelectric heat currents can reverse magnetization.

Finite-element theory models thermoelectric transport in spin valves.

Abstract

We predict that the magnetization direction of a ferromagnet can be reversed by the spin-transfer torque accompanying spin-polarized thermoelectric heat currents. We illustrate the concept by applying a finite-element theory of thermoelectric transport in disordered magnetoelectronic circuits and devices to metallic spin valves. When thermalization is not complete, a spin heat accumulation vector is found in the normal metal spacer, i.e., a directional imbalance in the temperature of majority and minority spins.