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Electrical detection of spin precession in a metallic mesoscopic spin valve

Nature volume 416, pages 713–716 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

To study and control the behaviour of the spins of electrons that are moving through a metal or semiconductor is an outstanding challenge in the field of ‘spintronics’, where possibilities for new electronic applications based on the spin degree of freedom are currently being explored1,2,3,4,5. Recently, electrical control of spin coherence6 and coherent spin precession during transport7 was studied by optical techniques in semiconductors. Here we report controlled spin precession of electrically injected and detected electrons in a diffusive metallic conductor, using tunnel barriers in combination with metallic ferromagnetic electrodes as spin injector and detector. The output voltage of our device is sensitive to the spin degree of freedom only, and its sign can be switched from positive to negative, depending on the relative magnetization of the ferromagnetic electrodes. We show that the spin direction can be controlled by inducing a coherent spin precession caused by an applied perpendicular magnetic field. By inducing an average precession angle of 180°, we are able to reverse the sign of the output voltage.

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Figure 1: Geometry of our spin valve device.
Figure 2: Spin valve effect.
Figure 3: Modulation of the output signal V/I due to spin precession as a function of a perpendicular magnetic field B⊥, for L = 650 nm, L = 1,100 nm and L = 1,350 nm.
Figure 4: Modulation of the output signal V/I as a function of a perpendicular magnetic field B⊥ up to 3 T, for L = 1,100 nm.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Stichting Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie (FOM) and NEDO (project ‘nano-scale control of magnetoelectronics for device applications’) for support.

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  1. Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science Center, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4.13, Groningen, 9747 AG, The Netherlands

    F. J. Jedema, H. B. Heersche, A. T. Filip, J. J. A. Baselmans & B. J. van Wees

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  1. F. J. Jedema
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  2. H. B. Heersche
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Correspondence to F. J. Jedema.

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Jedema, F., Heersche, H., Filip, A. et al. Electrical detection of spin precession in a metallic mesoscopic spin valve. Nature 416, 713–716 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/416713a

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