Spin-pumping and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy in topological insulators
Citation:
Aaron Hurley, Awadhesh Narayan, and Stefano Sanvito, Spin-pumping and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy in topological insulators, Physics Review B, 87, 24, 2013, 245410-Download Item:
PhysRevB.87.245410.pdf (Published (publisher's copy)) 397.6Kb
Abstract:
We demonstrate that a quantum spin Hall current, spontaneously generated at the edge of a two-dimensional topological insulator, acts as a source of spin pumping for a magnetic impurity with uniaxial anisotropy. One can then manipulate the impurity spin direction by means of an electrical current without using either magnetic electrodes or an external magnetic field. Furthermore we show that the unique properties of the quantum spin Hall topological state have profound effects on the inelastic electron tunneling spectrum of the impurity. For low current densities inelastic spin-flip events do not contribute to the conductance. As a consequence the conductance steps, normally appearing at voltages corresponding to the spin excitations, are completely suppressed. In contrast an intense current leads to spin pumping and generates a transverse component of the impurity spin. This breaks the topological phase yielding to the conductance steps
Sponsor
Grant Number
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
G20267
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
07/IN.1/I945
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/sanvitosDescription:
PUBLISHED
Author: SANVITO, STEFANO
Type of material:
Journal ArticleCollections:
Series/Report no:
Physics Review B87
24
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Full text availableKeywords:
Spin-pumpingSubject (TCD):
Nanoscience & MaterialsDOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.245410Licences: