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Applied Physics Letters / Volume 96 / Issue 2 / MAGNETISM AND SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 022513 (2010); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3291047 (3 pages)

Surface enhanced spin-flip scattering in lateral spin valves

Mikhail Erekhinsky1, Amos Sharoni1, Fèlix Casanova1,2, and Ivan K. Schuller1

1Department of Physics, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0319, USA
2CIC nanoGUNE, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, and IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain

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(Received 2 July 2009; accepted 10 December 2009; published online 14 January 2010)

Nonlocal transport in Py/Cu lateral spin valves shows that the Cu spin diffusion length and the apparent Py spin polarization increase with Cu thickness. A proper quantitative analysis shows that the Cu spin diffusion length is dominated by surface spin-flip scattering and that the Py and Cu thickness dependence of spin polarization is due to strong spin-flip back-scattering at the Py/Cu interface. This solves a long-standing puzzle regarding the discrepancy in Py spin polarizations obtained from different measurements. Interestingly, the Cu surface oxidation causes enhanced spin diffusion, contrary to expectations. These surface effects substantially affect the performance of lateral spin valves.

© 2010 American Institute of Physics

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

copper, ferromagnetic materials, interface magnetism, Permalloy, spin dynamics, spin polarised transport, spin valves, surface magnetism

PACS

  • 85.70.Kh

    Magnetic thin film devices: magnetic heads (magnetoresistive, inductive, etc.); domain-motion devices, etc.

  • 85.75.-d

    Magnetoelectronics; spintronics: devices exploiting spin polarized transport or integrated magnetic fields

  • 75.40.Gb

    Dynamic properties (dynamic susceptibility, spin waves, spin diffusion, dynamic scaling, etc.)

  • 75.76.+j

    Spin transport effects

  • 75.70.Rf

    Surface magnetism

  • 75.70.Cn

    Magnetic properties of interfaces (multilayers, superlattices, heterostructures)

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3291047

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0003-6951 (print)  
1077-3118 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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