Academic literature on the topic 'Spin currents'

Organic semiconductors have recently been found to have a comparably large spin diffusion time and length. This makes them ideal candidates for spintronic devices. However, spin injection, transport and detection properties in organic materials have yet to be fully understood. This work studies spin injection from ferromagnets into organic semiconductors via spin pumping. Furthermore, work towards thermal spin injection, and detection is presented and discussed. The first part of this thesis comprises the spin pumping experiments. Measuring linewidth broadening of the microwave absorption at ferromagnetic resonance due to increase in effective Gilbert damping by spin pumping from a ferromagnetic substrate into an adjacent non-magnetic semiconductor allows us to quantify the spin-mixing conductance. This technique is employed to demonstrate spin injection from a ferromagnetic metal, permalloy (Ni81Fe19), into organic small molecules and conjugated polymers as well as to quantify the spin injection efficiency. The results highlight the importance of structural properties of organic semiconductors at the interface to permalloy. Significant suppression of spin injection due to alkyl side-chains separating the core of the small molecules from the interface is exemplary for this finding. Furthermore, the spin-mixing conductance depends very sensitively on the charge carrier density within a certain range of doping level. This suggests a strong link between spin injection efficiency and spin concentration in the organic semiconductor at the interface to permalloy. The second part of the thesis aims to explore spin caloritronic effects. We study spin injection into organic semiconductors by probing the spin Seebeck effect by making use of the inverse spin Hall effect for spin-to-charge conversion. Moreover, we present experimental work towards observation of a novel effect, the inverse spin Nernst effect, for thermal spin detection.

Le domaine de recherche de la spintronique vise a concevoir des dispositifs électroniques misant sur le degré de libre de spin pour transporter de l'information. An d'intégrer ces courants de spin dans des dispositifs électroniques, il est particulièrement intéressant d'étudier l'inter-conversion d'un pur courant de spin en un courant de charge par l'effet Hall de spin, ainsi que le transfert de moment angulaire entre les électrons de conduction d'un métal normal (NM) et l'aimantation d'un ferromagnétique (FM) (couple de transfert de spin / pompage de spin). An de mieux comprendre ces différentes interaction, cette thèse se concentre sur l'étude du système hybride constitué de la juxtaposition d'un ferrimagnétique isolant, le grenat d'yttrium fer (YIG), et d'un métal normal _a fort couplage spin-orbite (Pt ou Ta), nécessaire pour bénéficier de la polarisation en spin de l'interface par un courant électrique dans le plan. Nous avons étudié le pompage de spin et la magnétorésistance produite par l'effet Hall de spin a l'interface entre des bicouches de YIG j Pt et YIG j Ta, et ceci sur des lms étendus de YIG de 200 nm d'épaisseur, produits par épitaxie en phase liquide. Nous observons que la tension électrique, produite par l'effet Hall de spin inverse, change de signe entre du Pt et du Ta confirmant ainsi l'inversion des signes de l'angle de Hall entre ces deux matériaux. En outre, en mesurant la variation de la tension de Hall inverse en fonction de l'épaisseur de la couche de Ta, nous avons réussi à borner la longueur de diffusion de spin dans le Ta. Tant le YIG j Pt et le YIG j Ta affiche une variation semblable de la magnétorésistance a effet Hall de spin en fonction de l'orientation du champ magnétique. Pour étudier l'inuence interfaciale du pompage de spin…<br>Spintronics aims at designing electronic devices which capitalize on the spin degree of freedom to transport information using spin currents. In order to incorporate spin currents intoelectronic devices, it is particularly interesting to study the interconversion from a spin current, the motion of spin angular momentum, to a charge current (Spin Hall Effect) as well as the transfer of spin angular momentum between the conduction electrons of a normal metal (NM) and the magnetization of a ferromagnet (FM) (Spin Transfer Torque/Spin Pumping). To investigate the interplay of those effects this thesis studies hybrid systems of the ferromagnetic insulator Yttrium Iron Garnet and normal metals with large spin-orbit coupling, a prerequisite for spin Hall e_ect. We study spin pumping and spin hall magnetoresistance in YIGjPt and YIGjTa bi-layers using extended _lms of 200 nm thick YIG, grown by liquid phase epitaxy. The inverse spin Hall voltages in Pt and Ta confirm the opposite signs of spin Hall angles in these two materials. Moreover, from the dependence of the inverse spin Hall voltage on the Ta thickness, we constrain the spin di_usion length in Ta. Both the YIGjPt and YIGjTa systems display a similar variation of resistance upon magnetic eld orientation, the spin Hall magnetoresistance. To study the inuence of interfacial spin pumping and a possible reverse e_ect, it is desirable to work with thin _lm thicknesses. A high quality 20 nm thick YIG _lm was grown by pulsed laser deposition, showing a damping similar to that of bulk YIG. We use nano-lithography to pattern series of YIG(20nm) and YIG(20nm)jPt(13nm) discs with diameters between 300 and 700 nm. The ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra of the individual sub-micron sized samples are recorded through magnetic resonance force microscopy. . Passing dc-current through micron sized YIGjPt disks reveal a variation of the FMR linewidth consistent with the geometry and amplitude of the expected SHE transfer torque. In the absence of exciting microwave _elds, a variation in the magnetization is detected when the dc-current reaches the expected threshold for auto oscillations

Ce manuscrit est basé sur l'étude de l'interaction entre des purs courants de spin et parois de domaines magnétiques. Cet étude a été divisée en quatre parties. Dans la première partie, nous avons donné une explication détaillée du transport de spin dans des nano structure métalliques en utilisant trois approches différentes. La deuxième partie est focalisée sur l'utilisation d'un pur courant de spin pour induire le mouvement d'un paroi de domaine. Dans la troisième et quatrième partie nous avons mis en évidence deux nouvelle techniques d'injection et détection de spin en utilisant des parois des domaines magnétiques<br>This thesis is based on the study of the interplay between pure spin currents and magnetic domains walls. This study has been divided in four chapters. In the first part, we provides a detailed explanation of the spin-transport in metallic structures by using three approaches. The second chapter concerns to the use of pure spin currents to induce DW motion in lateral spin valves. The third and four chapter, is mainly focused on the use of DWs for the efficient injection and detection of pure spin currents in lateral spin valves and cross shaped geometries

Injection of a spin current into the surface or interface states of a topological insulator (TI) induces a charge current (inverse Edelstein effect or IEE) and, inversely, a charge current flowing at the surface or interface states of a TI generates a nonzero spin density (Edelstein Effect or EE) from which a spin current can be ejected into an adjacent layer. The parameters characterizing the efficiency of these conversions between spin and charge currents have been derived in recent experiments. By using a spinor distribution function for a momentum-spin locked TI, we determine a number of spin transport properties of TI-based heterostructure and find that the spin to charge conversion in IEE is controlled by the relaxation of an out-of equilibrium distribution in the TI states while the charge to spin conversion in EE depends on the electron transmission rate at the interface of the TI.

The goal of this thesis is to explore and control the magnetization dynamics on magnetic multilayered thin films through two different techniques: the application of strain and spin- polarized currents, which represent lower-power consumption approaches to the control of magnetization dynamics compared with conventional techniques. The ferromagnetic materials with nanometric thickness used in this thesis are magnetic materials widely used in research. Aside the purely scientific interest, these materials are potentially applicable in telecommunications or technologies for storing and transmitting information at high speeds. 1. Magnetization Dynamics Induced by the Application of Oscillating Strain The first part of the thesis studies the magnetization dynamics induced by the application of dynamic strain on the magnetic material. The strain deforms the magnetic material and induces a change in the direction and intensity of the magnetic anisotropy. Therefore, the magnetic states are affected by this variation and align with the new direction of magnetic anisotropy inducing dynamics in the magnetization. The main result of the first part of the thesis is the simultaneous time- and space-resolved observation of both the piezoelectric voltage wave associated to the SAW and the induced magnetization excitations on the ferromagnetic thin film of Nickel (Ni). We have found that manipulation of magnetization states in ferromagnetic thin films with SAWs is possible at the picosecond scale with efficiencies as high as for the static case. In Chapter 3 we have studied Ni nanostructures whose magnetization dynamics are governed by the intrinsic configuration of the magnetic domains and by their orientation with respect to the SAW- induced strain resulting in considerable delays between strain and magnetization. In Chapter 4 we have studied extended Ni thin film, on which SAWs induce spin waves that propagate millimeter distances and have a rotation amplitude of about 25 deg. 2. Magnetization Dynamics Induced by the Spin-Polarized Current The second part of the thesis studies the magnetization dynamics induced by the application of spin-polarized current through the magnetic material that exchanges magnetic moment with the magnetic spins of the electrons in the current. The current density has to be high to induce dynamics on the magnetization (~106-107 A/cm2) and this results in a reduction of the diameter of the electrical contact 50-200 nm. The main results of the second part of the thesis are related with the stability and the nucleation process of magnetic solitons. On the one hand, we have showed that magnetic solitons can exhibit multiple stable states, which are tunable with current or magnetic field. We also have correlated the existence of unstable states with an increment of low- frequency noise. Using simulations, we have identified the low-frequency spectra with the existence of drift resonances and we have observed that any asymmetry on the effective magnetic field suffered by the magnetic soliton can leads to drift resonances. On the other hand, we have experimentally observed that the processes of nucleation and annihilation of magnetic solitons have different intrinsic times, and using simulations we have identified a waiting time associated with the creation process, which make it a longer than annihilation. We also have studied, using micromagnetic simulations, the initial magnetization states that lead to the nucleation of topological and non-topological magnetic solitons.<br>La tesis gira en torno al estudio de la dinámica de la magnetización en capas y multicapas delgadas ferromagnéticas. Sin embargo, los sistemas estudiados son diversos y pueden clasificarse por la técnica utilizada para la excitación de la dinámica de la magnetización. Este hecho queda plasmado en la estructura de la tesis que consta de una introducción general, Capítulo 1, y luego de dos partes independientes y separadas, a su vez, en varios capítulos. El orden en la exposición de los resultados pretende seguir una linea lógica para su compresión. Como contrapartida, los resultados son presentados sin seguir un orden cronológico. La primera parte de la tesis estudia la dinámica de la magnetización inducida por la aplicación de tensión dinámicamente sobre el material magnético, que al deformarlo induce en él un cambio en la dirección e intensidad de la anisotropía magnética. Por lo tanto, los estados magnéticos se ven afectados por esta variación y cambian para alinearse con la nueva dirección de anisotropía magnética induciendo dinámica en la magnetización. La segunda parte de la tesis estudia la dinámica de la magnetización inducida por la aplicación de corriente polarizada a través del material magnético que intercambia momento magnético con los espines magnéticos de los electrones de la corriente. Para que esta transferencia de momento magnético sea efectiva la densidad de corriente ha de ser elevada (~106-107 A/cm2) y para conseguirla se reduce hasta los 50-200 nm el diámetro del contacto eléctrico. Los materiales ferromagnéticos con grosor nanométrico usados en esta tesis son materiales magnéticos usados ampliamente en la investigación. Aparte del interés puramente científico, estos materiales son potencialmente aplicables en telecomunicaciones o tecnologías del almacenaje y transmisión de información a altas velocidades.

<p>The concept of the transfer Hamiltonian formalism has been reconsidered and generalized to include the non-orthogonality between the electron states in an interacting region, e.g. quantum dot (QD), and the states in the conduction bands in the attached contacts. The electron correlations in the QD are described by means of a diagram technique for Hubbard operator Green functions for non-equilibrium states. </p><p>It is shown that the non-orthogonality between the electrons states in the contacts and the QD is reflected in the anti-commutation relations for the field operators of the subsystems. The derived forumla for the current contains corrections from the overlap of the same order as the widely used conventional tunneling coefficients. </p><p>It is also shown that kinematic interactions between the QD states and the electrons in the contacts, renormalizes the QD energies in a spin-dependent fashion. The structure of the renormalization provides an opportunity to include a spin splitting of the QD levels by polarizing the conduction bands in the contacts and/or imposing different hybridizations between the states in the contacts and the QD for the two spin channels. This leads to a substantial amplification of the spin polarization in the current, suggesting applications in magnetic sensors and spin-filters.</p>

L'étude de l'activité cérébrale nécessite des enregistrements simultanés à différentes échelles spatiales, d'une cellule unique aux aires corticales du cerveau. Ces mesures fournissent un aperçu sur la relation entre les structures, les fonctions et la dynamique des circuits neuronaux. Les techniques d'électrophysiologie apportent des informations cruciales sur l'activité électrique dans les neurones. Sonder localement la signature magnétique de cette activité donne des informations directes sur les courants neuronaux et la nature vectorielle d'une mesure magnétique renseigne sur la directionnalité du flux ionique neuronal sans le perturber. Le champ magnétique induit par les courants neuronaux est accessible par la magnetoencéphalographie (MEG), qui fournit la cartographie des champs neuromagnétiques à la surface du cerveau à l'aide des Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs). Cependant, les mesures locales de courants neuronaux à l'échelle cellulaire nécessite des dispositifs miniaturisés et très sensibles. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est de développer un nouvel outil pour la neurophysiologie, l'équivalent magnétique d'électrodes, nommé "magnetrodes", capable de détecter les courants neuronaux locaux par la détection magnétique. Les progrès récents de l'électronique de spin ont permis de donner naissance aux capteurs à magnétorésistance géante (GMR), qui offrent la possibilité d'être miniaturisé et suffisamment sensibles pour détecter des champs magnétiques très faibles, comme ceux émis par les neurones à l'échelle locale (de l'ordre du picotesla au nanotesla). Deux types de capteurs GMRs ont été développés au cours de ce travail, des sondes planes dédiées aux enregistrements en surface des tissues (tranche d'hippocampe, muscle ou cortex), les autres sont des sondes pointus, conçus pour pénétrer facilement les tissus et enregistrer localement les champs neuromagnétiques. Trois expériences ont été réalisées dont deux in vitro et une in vivo. Le premier potentiel d'action magnétique a été détecté in vitro à l'aide de sondes GMRs planes, résultant des courants axiaux dans un muscle de la souris. Le deuxième modèle analysé in vitro est la tranche d'hippocampe de cerveau de souris où les deux types de sondes ont été testés, montrant certains résultats préliminaires. Enfin, nous avons effectué les premiers enregistrements magnétiques in vivo sur le cortex visuel du chat, affichant des réponses corticales induites de l'ordre de 10-20 nTpp. Ces résultats ouvrent la voie à magnetophysiologie locale qui est une nouvelle approche d'exploration et d'interfaçage cerveau<br>Understanding brain activity requires simultaneous recordings across spatial scales, from single-cell to brain-wide network. Measurements provide insights about the relationship between structures, functions and dynamics in neuronal circuits and assemblies. Electrophysiological techniques carry crucial information about the electrical activity within neurons. Locally probing the magnetic signature of this activity gives direct information about neuronal currents and the vectorial nature of magnetic measurements provides the directionality of neuronal ionic flux without disturbing it. Noticeably, the magnetic signature induced by the neuronal currents is accessible through Magneto EncephaloGraphy (MEG), which provides neuromagnetic field mapping outside the head using Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs). However, local measurements of neuronal currents at cellular scale requires small and very sensitive devices. The purpose of the present thesis work is to develop a novel tool for neurophysiology, the magnetic equivalent of electrodes, named “magnetrodes”, are able to detect the local neuronal currents through magnetic detection. Recent advances in spin electronics have given rise to Giant MagnetoResistance (GMR) based sensors, which offer the possibility to be miniaturized and sensitive enough to detect very weak magnetic fields like those emitted by neurons at local scale (in the picotesla to nanotesla range). Two kinds of GMR based sensors have been developed throughout this work, one of these are planar probes dedicated to surface measurements (hippocampus slice, muscle or cortex), the other kind are sharp probes, designed in a needle-shape to easily penetrate the tissues and locally record the neuromagnetic fields. Three experiments have been performed, either in vitro and in vivo. In the first experiment, an Action Potential has been detected magnetically in vitro by means of planar GMR sensors, resulting from axial currents within a mouse muscle. The second in vitro experiment analyzed the hippocampal mouse brain slices, where both planar and sharp probes were tested giving some preliminary results. Lastly we performed the first magnetic recordings in vivo on cat's cerebral cortex, displaying stimulus-induced cortical responses of 10-20 nT pp . These results pave the way for local magnetophysiology, a novel approach of brain exploration and interfacing