| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 59, Number 1, July 2002
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 107 - 113 | |
| Section | Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2002-00165-4 | |
| Published online | 01 June 2002 | |
From classical to quantum spintronics: Theory of coherent spin injection and spin valve phenomena
1
Department of Physics, Simon Fraser
University - Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
2
Centro de Ciencias de la Materia Condensada,
UNAM Ensenada, BC, 22800, Mexico
Corresponding author: fmireles@ccmc.unam.mx
Received:
7
November
2001
Accepted:
12
April
2002
We present a theory of coherent quantum transport in ferromagnetic/non-magnetic/ferro magnetic heterojunctions. We predict quantum coherence to give rise to a quantum spin valve effect that, unlike its familiar classical analog, occurs even in the absence of a net spin current through the heterostructure. Thus the relationship between spin and charge transport is qualitatively different in the presence of quantum interference than in the (semi-)classical regime. This has important implications for the design of quantum coherent spintronic devices and the interpretation of experiments.
PACS: 72.25.Hg – Electrical injection of spin polarized carriers / 73.40.Sx – Metal-semiconductor-metal structures / 72.25.Mk – Spin transport through interfaces
© EDP Sciences, 2002
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