Direct detection of pure ac spin current by X-ray pump-probe measurements

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.076602

Authors: J. Li (Peking University; University of California at Berkeley) , L. R. Shelford (University of Exeter) , P. Shafer (Advanced Light Source) , A. Tan (University of California at Berkeley) , J. X. Deng (University of California at Berkeley) , P. S. Keatley (University of Exeter) , C. Hwang (Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science) , E. Arenholz (Advanced Light Source) , G. Van Der Laan (Diamond Light Source) , R. J. Hicken (University of Exeter) , Z. q. Qiu (University of California at Berkeley)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review Letters , VOL 117

State: Published (Approved)
Published: August 2016

Abstract: Despite recent progress in spin-current research, the detection of spin current has mostly remained indirect. By synchronizing a microwave waveform with synchrotron x-ray pulses, we use the ferromagnetic resonance of the Py (Ni 81 Fe 19 ) layer in a Py/Cu/Cu 75 Mn 25 /Cu/Co multilayer to pump a pure ac spin current into the Cu 75 Mn 25 and Co layers, and then directly probe the spin current within the Cu 75 Mn 25 layer and the spin dynamics of the Co layer by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. This element-resolved pump-probe measurement unambiguously identifies the ac spin current in the Cu 75 Mn 25 layer.

Journal Keywords: Spin current; Multilayer thin films; X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Diamond Keywords: Spintronics

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials

Facility: 4.0.2 at Advanced Light Source

Added On: 01/12/2016 14:04

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Quantum Materials Physics Electronics Materials Science interfaces and thin films

Technical Tags: