Spin-dependent transport in reduced dimensions

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

• Dr Martin Gradhand, UoBristol
• Thursday 13 February 2014, 13:45-15:00
• Theory Library.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Kevin Ralley.

Since several years, various applications make use of the giant and tunnelling magnetoresistance, the classical examples of spin-dependent electronic transport including ferromagnets. More recently, spin-orbit coupling came into the focus due to its potential to generate spin currents in nominally nonmagnetic materials. One example among a large class is the spin Hall effect, the nonmagnetic analogue to the anomalous Hall effect.

In my talk I will review our approach to describe spin-orbit driven spin-dependent transport focussing on the effect of reduced dimensions. While the spin Hall effect will be discussed in the light of generating spin currents, I will approach the problem of spin relaxation as well. Fortunately to us and unfortunately for many applications both are partially driven by the same mechanism: the scattering at impurities.

As examples I will highlight metallic thin films as well as single layer graphene. In both cases the reduced dimensions introduce new aspects in the spin dependent scattering. Especially for graphene I will show that a particular choice of impurities may account for the surprisingly short spin relaxation time found experimentally.

This talk is part of the Theoretical Physics Seminars series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Bham Talks
• Theoretical Physics Seminars
• Theory Library
• What's on in Physics?

Note that ex-directory lists are not shown.