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Spin-neutral currents for spintronics

Author

Listed:
  • Ding-Fu Shao

    (University of Nebraska)

  • Shu-Hui Zhang

    (Beijing University of Chemical Technology)

  • Ming Li

    (University of Nebraska)

  • Chang-Beom Eom

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

    (University of Nebraska)

Abstract

Electric currents carrying a net spin polarization are widely used in spintronics, whereas globally spin-neutral currents are expected to play no role in spin-dependent phenomena. Here we show that, in contrast to this common expectation, spin-independent conductance in compensated antiferromagnets and normal metals can be efficiently exploited in spintronics, provided their magnetic space group symmetry supports a non-spin-degenerate Fermi surface. Due to their momentum-dependent spin polarization, such antiferromagnets can be used as active elements in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs) and produce a giant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect. Using RuO2 as a representative compensated antiferromagnet exhibiting spin-independent conductance along the [001] direction but a non-spin-degenerate Fermi surface, we design a RuO2/TiO2/RuO2 (001) AFMTJ, where a globally spin-neutral charge current is controlled by the relative orientation of the Néel vectors of the two RuO2 electrodes, resulting in the TMR effect as large as ~500%. These results are expanded to normal metals which can be used as a counter electrode in AFMTJs with a single antiferromagnetic layer or other elements in spintronic devices. Our work uncovers an unexplored potential of the materials with no global spin polarization for utilizing them in spintronics.

Suggested Citation

  • Ding-Fu Shao & Shu-Hui Zhang & Ming Li & Chang-Beom Eom & Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, 2021. "Spin-neutral currents for spintronics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-26915-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26915-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Makoto Naka & Satoru Hayami & Hiroaki Kusunose & Yuki Yanagi & Yukitoshi Motome & Hitoshi Seo, 2019. "Spin current generation in organic antiferromagnets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sonka Reimers & Lukas Odenbreit & Libor Šmejkal & Vladimir N. Strocov & Procopios Constantinou & Anna B. Hellenes & Rodrigo Jaeschke Ubiergo & Warlley H. Campos & Venkata K. Bharadwaj & Atasi Chakrabo, 2024. "Direct observation of altermagnetic band splitting in CrSb thin films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Helena Reichlova & Rafael Lopes Seeger & Rafael González-Hernández & Ismaila Kounta & Richard Schlitz & Dominik Kriegner & Philipp Ritzinger & Michaela Lammel & Miina Leiviskä & Anna Birk Hellenes & K, 2024. "Observation of a spontaneous anomalous Hall response in the Mn5Si3 d-wave altermagnet candidate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Song-Bo Zhang & Lun-Hui Hu & Titus Neupert, 2024. "Finite-momentum Cooper pairing in proximitized altermagnets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.

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