Conversion between spin and charge currents with topological insulators

S. Zhang and A. Fert
Phys. Rev. B 94, 184423 – Published 18 November 2016

Abstract

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.

  • Figure
  • Received 16 August 2016
  • Revised 25 October 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.184423

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

S. Zhang1 and A. Fert2

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
  • 2Unité Mixte de Physique, CNRS, Thales, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91767, Palaiseau, France

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 18 — 1 November 2016

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