Spin-orbit dependence of anisotropic current-induced spin polarization

Authors

L. L. Tao, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, University of Nebraska at LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

8-30-2021

Citation

L. L. TAO AND EVGENY Y. TSYMBAL. PHYSICAL REVIEW B 104, 085438 (2021). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.104.085438

Comments

Used by permission.

Abstract

Studies of the current-induced spin polarization (CISP) have been recently reinvigorated due to the discoveries of CISP in some burgeoning materials such as oxide interfaces, van der Waals, and topological quantum materials. Here, we investigate the CISP in two-dimensional systems for different types of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) using the Boltzmann transport theory. We find an anisotropic response of CISP to the current direction which strongly depends on the type of SOC. We demonstrate that the CISP is nonlinear with respect to the SOC magnitude, depends on the Fermi energy, and exhibits two different transport regimes for low or high carrier density. Finally, we propose a magnetoresistance device which can exploit the predicted CISP anisotropy.