Band-Structure Effects in the Spin Relaxation of Conduction Electrons

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the topology of the Fermi surface influences spin relaxation in conduction electrons, revealing that certain band-structure features significantly accelerate spin flip rates, especially in polyvalent metals.

Contribution

It provides a realistic calculation and analytical estimates showing the dominant role of specific band-structure regions in spin relaxation, explaining differences between monovalent and polyvalent metals.

Findings

Regions near Brillouin zone boundaries have higher spin flip rates.

Polyvalent metals exhibit up to three orders of magnitude higher spin relaxation rates.

Band-structure modifications can potentially tailor spin relaxation properties.

Abstract

Spin relaxation of conduction electrons in metals is significantly influenced by the Fermi surface topology. Electrons near Brillouin zone boundaries, special symmetry points, or accidental degeneracy lines have spin flip rates much higher than an average electron. A realistic calculation and analytical estimates show that these regions dominate the spin relaxation, explaining why polyvalent metals have much higher spin relaxation rates (up to three orders of magnitude) than similar monovalent metals. This suggests that spin relaxation in metals can be tailored by band-structure modifications like doping, alloying, reducing the dimensionality, etc.