Title: Spin-to-Charge Conversion in Magnetic Weyl Semimetals

Abstract

Weyl semimetals (WSM) are a newly discovered class of quantum materials which can host a number of exotic bulk transport properties, such as the chiral magnetic effect, negative magnetoresistance, and the anomalous Hall effect. In this work, we investigate theoretically the spin-to-charge conversion in a bilayer consisting of a magnetic WSM and a normal metal (NM), where a charge current can be induced in the WSM by a spin current injection at the interface. We show that the induced charge current exhibits a peculiar anisotropy: it vanishes along the magnetization orientation of the magnetic WSM, regardless of the direction of the injected spin. This anisotropy originates from the unique band structure of magnetic WSMs and distinguishes the spin-to-charge conversion effect in WSM-NM structures from that observed in other systems, such as heterostructures involving heavy metals or topological insulators. The induced charge current depends strongly on injected spin orientation, as well as on the position of the Fermi level relative to the Weyl nodes and the separation between them. As a result, these dependencies provide additional means to control and manipulate spin-charge conversion in these topological materials.

Authors:

Zhang, Steven S. -L.  ^[1];

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Burkov, Anton A. ^[2]; Martin, Ivar ^[3]; Heinonen, Olle G. ^[4]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Materials Science Div.; Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). Dept. of Physics
2. Univ. of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Materials Science Div.
4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Materials Science Div.; Northwestern-Argonne Inst. of Science and Engineering, Evanston, IL (United States)

Publication Date:

2019-10-30

Research Org.:

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

OSTI Identifier:

1574134

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC02-06CH11357

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Physical Review Letters

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 123; Journal Issue: 18; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE