Giant Edelstein effect in topological-insulator-graphene heterostructures

Rodriguez-Vega M, Schwiete GW, Sinova J, Rossi E (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Physical Review B American Physical Society

Book Volume: 96

Article Number: 235419

Journal Issue: 23

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.96.235419

Abstract

The control of a ferromagnet's magnetization via only electric currents requires the efficient generation of current-driven spin torques. In magnetic structures based on topological insulators (TIs) current-induced spin-orbit torques can be generated. Here we show that the addition of graphene, or bilayer graphene, to a TI-based magnetic structure greatly enhances the current-induced spin-density accumulation and significantly reduces the amount of power dissipated. We find that this enhancement can be as high as a factor of 100, giving rise to a giant Edelstein effect. Such a large enhancement is due to the high mobility of graphene (bilayer graphene) and to the fact that the graphene (bilayer graphene) sheet very effectively screens charge impurities, the dominant source of disorder in topological insulators. Our results show that the integration of graphene in spintronics devices can greatly enhance their performance and functionalities.

Involved external institutions

College of William & Mary US United States (USA) (US) University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) US United States (USA) (US) Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Rodriguez-Vega, M., Schwiete, G.W., Sinova, J., & Rossi, E. (2017). Giant Edelstein effect in topological-insulator-graphene heterostructures. Physical Review B, 96(23). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.96.235419

MLA:

Rodriguez-Vega, Martin, et al. "Giant Edelstein effect in topological-insulator-graphene heterostructures." Physical Review B 96.23 (2017).

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