Cited by 714Magnetic properties of thin filmsQuantum and electron transport phenomenaAdvanced Condensed Matter Physics

Terahertz spin current pulses controlled by magnetic heterostructures

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Kampfrath, T., Battiato, M., Maldonado, P., Eilers, G., Nötzold, J., Mährlein, S., Zbarsky, V., Freimuth, F. +6 more·2013·Nature Nanotechnology

Abstract

In spin-based electronics, information is encoded by the spin state of electron bunches. Processing this information requires the controlled transport of spin angular momentum through a solid, preferably at frequencies reaching the so far unexplored terahertz regime. Here, we demonstrate, by experiment and theory, that the temporal shape of femtosecond spin current bursts can be manipulated by using specifically designed magnetic heterostructures. A laser pulse is used to drive spins from a ferromagnetic iron thin film into a non-magnetic cap layer that has either low (ruthenium) or high (gold) electron mobility. The resulting transient spin current is detected by means of an ultrafast, contactless amperemeter based on the inverse spin Hall effect, which converts the spin flow into a terahertz electromagnetic pulse. We find that the ruthenium cap layer yields a considerably longer spin current pulse because electrons are injected into ruthenium d states, which have a much lower mobility than gold sp states. Thus, spin current pulses and the resulting terahertz transients can be shaped by tailoring magnetic heterostructures, which opens the door to engineering high-speed spintronic devices and, potentially, broadband terahertz emitters.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nnano.2013.43

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  • The inverse spin Hall effect involves spin current generation in a time-reversal-broken ferromagnetic material transformed to a net charge current due to nonzero net momentum defined by a parity-broken interface with a non-magnetic material.

    “This occurs in the inverse spin Hall effect, which involves the combination of spin current generation in a -broken ferromagnetic material that is transformed to a net charge current due to a nonzero net momentum defined by a -broken interface (analogous to a photoemission process) with a non-magnetic material53,59”

    From Ultrafast terahertz emission from emerging symmetry-broken materials (2023) · cites this paper as [53]

    Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • When a thin FM metallic film is combined with a non-magnetic layer in a heterostructure, the THz emission intensity is dramatically enhanced far beyond what is expected from demagnetization in the magnetic layer alone.

    “when a thin FM metallic film is combined with a non-magnetic (NM) layer in a heterostructure configuration, the THz emission intensity is dramatically enhanced, far beyond what is expected from demagnetization in the magnetic layer alone53,122.”

    From Ultrafast terahertz emission from emerging symmetry-broken materials (2023) · cites this paper as [53]

    The magnetic-heterostructures section (pp. 1, 3) reports THz emission from Fe films capped with nonmagnetic Au or Ru and attributes it to spin currents converted by the inverse spin Hall effect. It compares the two capped films’ emission, but does not show a dramatic intensity enhancement relative to demagnetization in an uncapped magnetic film. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Free charge currents are generated when pure spin currents are converted to charge currents, occurring in inverse effects at interfaces between magnetic and non-magnetic materials such as the inverse spin Hall and inverse Rashba-Edelstein effects.

    “This can occur in a variety of inverse effects at interfaces between magnetic and non-magnetic materials, as with the inverse spin Hall53 and inverse Rashba-Edelstein54,55 effects.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [4]4. Bader, S.D. & Parkin, S.S.P., Spintronics. Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics 1 , 71 (2010).

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Authors
Kampfrath, T., Battiato, M., Maldonado, P., Eilers, G., Nötzold, J., Mährlein, S., Zbarsky, V., Freimuth, F., Mokrousov, Y., Blügel, S., Wolf, M., Radu, I., Oppeneer, P. M., & Münzenberg, M.
Affiliations
  • Max Planck Society (DE)
  • Uppsala University (SE)
  • University of Göttingen (DE)
  • Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
  • Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (DE)
Corresponding author
Kampfrath, T.
Venue
Nature Nanotechnology
Published
2013-03-31
Volume
8
Issue
4
Pages
256-260
ISSN
  • 1748-3387 (ISSN-L)
  • 1748-3395
OpenAlex
W2035670450
Cited by
714
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 57 · 2025: 86 · 2024: 77 · 2023: 82 · 2022: 81 · 2021: 72 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 6
FWCI
13.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Nanotechnology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • HZB Repository (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB)) (submittedVersion)
  • JuSER (Forschungszentrum Jülich) (submittedVersion)
  • GRO (submittedVersion)
  • RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Magnetic properties of thin films
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and electron transport phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Advanced Condensed Matter Physics
Keywords
magnetic heterostructures, inverse spin Hall effect, electron mobility, spin injection, spintronic devices

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