Abstract
Anisotropic spin-orbit scattering of hot-electron spins in ferromagnets is examined by injecting a hot-electron current into the thin ferromagnetic base of a transistor and measuring the current attenuation as a function of the magnetization orientation. The transmission anisotropy is described by a simple model, from which we extract an effective spin-orbit scattering length of 420 nm for hot-electron spins in , independent of temperature. The corresponding scattering time ( ) is surprisingly short, suggesting efficient spin-lattice relaxation of hot electrons. The results also unambiguously demonstrate the attenuation of a hot-electron current by an elastic scattering process.
- Received 21 March 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.166601
©2001 American Physical Society