Magnetic Control of Spin-Orbit Fields: A First-Principles Study of Fe/GaAs Junctions

Martin Gmitra, Alex Matos-Abiague, Claudia Draxl, and Jaroslav Fabian
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 036603 – Published 17 July 2013
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Abstract

The microscopic structure of spin-orbit fields for the technologically important Fe/GaAs interface is uncovered from first principles. A symmetry based method allows us to obtain the spin-orbit fields—both their magnitude and orientation—for a generic Bloch state, from the electronic band structure for any in-plane magnetization orientation. It is demonstrated that the spin-orbit fields depend not only on the electric field across the interface, but also surprisingly strongly on the Fe magnetization orientation, opening prospects for their magnetic control. These results give important clues in searching for spin-orbit transport and optical phenomena in ferromagnet/nonmagnet heterostructures.

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  • Received 22 February 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.036603

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Martin Gmitra1, Alex Matos-Abiague1, Claudia Draxl2, and Jaroslav Fabian1

  • 1Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
  • 2Physics Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12489 Berlin, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 111, Iss. 3 — 19 July 2013

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