ac Magnetization transport and power absorption in nonitinerant spin chains

We investigate the ac transport of magnetization in nonitinerant quantum systems such as spin chains described by the XXZ Hamiltonian. Using linear response theory, we calculate the ac magnetization current and the power absorption of such magnetic systems. Remarkably, the difference in the exchange interaction of the spin chain itself and the bulk magnets (i.e., the magnetization reservoirs), to which the spin chain is coupled, strongly influences the absorbed power of the system. This feature can be used in future spintronic devices to control power dissipation. Our analysis allows us to make quantitative predictions about the power absorption, and we show that magnetic systems are superior to their electronic counterparts.     

Quantum spin transport through Aharonov--Bohm ring with a tangent magnetic field

Quantum spin transport in a mesoscopic Aharonov--Bohm ring with two leads subject to a magnetic field with circular configuration is investigated by means of one-dimensional quantum waveguide theory.Within the framework of Landauer--B\"{u}ttiker formalism, the polarization direction of transmitted electrons can be controlled either by the AB magnetic flux or by the tangent magnetic field. In particular, the spin flips can be induced by hopping the AB magnetic flux or the tangent field.     

Geometric correlations and breakdown of mesoscopic universality in spin transport

We construct a unified semiclassical theory of charge and spin transport in chaotic ballistic and disordered diffusive mesoscopic systems with spin-orbit interaction. Neglecting dynamic effects of spin-orbit interaction, we reproduce the random matrix theory results that the spin conductance fluctuates universally around zero average. Incorporating these effects into the theory, we show that geometric correlations generate finite average spin conductances, but that they do not affect the charge conductance to leading order. The theory, which is confirmed by numerical transport calculations, allows us to investigate the entire range from the weak to the previously unexplored strong spin-orbit regime, where the spin rotation time is shorter than the momentum relaxation time.     

Pure spin currents and the associated electrical voltage

We present a generalized Landauer-Büttiker transport theory for multiterminal spin transport in the presence of spin-orbit interaction. Using this theory we point out that there exists equilibrium spin currents and nonequilibrium pure spin currents, without any magnetic element in the system. Quantitative results are presented for a Y-shaped conductor. It is shown that pure spin currents cause a voltage drop and, hence, can be measured.     

Macroscopic spin and charge transport theory

According to the general principle of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we propose a set of macroscopic transport equations for the spin transport and the charge transport. In particular, the spin torque is introduced as a generalized `current density' to describe the phenomena associated with the spin non-conservation in a unified framework. The Einstein relations and the Onsager relations between different transport phenomena are established. Specifically, the spin transport properties of the isotropic non-magnetic and the isotropic magnetic two-dimensional electron gases are fully described by using this theory, in which only the macroscopic-spin-related transport phenomena allowed by the symmetry of the system are taken into account.     

Slave fermion formalism for the tetrahedral spin chain

We use the SU(2) slave fermion approach to study a tetrahedral spin 1/2 chain, which is a one-dimensional generalization of the two dimensional Kitaev honeycomb model. Using the mean field theory, coupled with a gauge fixing procedure to implement the single occupancy constraint, we obtain the phase diagram of the model. We then show that it matches the exact results obtained earlier using the Majorana fermion representation. We also compute the spin-spin correlation in the gapless phase and show that it is a spin liquid. Finally, we map the one-dimensional model in terms of the slave fermions to the model of 1D p-wave superconducting model with complex parameters and show that the parameters of our model fall in the topological trivial regime and hence does not have edge Majorana modes.     

Heat switch effect in one-dimensional spin chains

We study heat transport in one-dimensional (1-D) quantum spin systems by the nonequilibrium Green?s function method. We show that, in both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems, the excitation spectrums of the reservoirs and the central spin chain can be tuned to be matched or mismatched by changing the external magnetic field. When the spectrums are matched, heat current through the system is large; however if the spectrums are mismatched, heat current becomes much smaller. Through tuning the magnetic field, the system can thus act as a heat switch, and we discuss the condition for the system to exhibit strong switch effect.     

Coherent transfer of spin through a semiconductor heterointerface

Spin transport between two semiconductors of widely different band gaps is time resolved by two-color pump-probe optical spectroscopy. Electron spin coherence is created in a GaAs substrate and subsequently appears in an adjacent ZnSe epilayer at temperatures ranging from 5 to 300 K. The data show that spin information can be protected by transport to regions of low spin decoherence, and regional boundaries used to control the resulting spin coherent phase.     

Spintronics: electron spin coherence,entanglement, and transport

The prospect of building spintronic devices in which electron spins store and transport information has attracted strong attention in recent years. Here we present some of our representative theoretical results on three fundamental aspects of spintronics: spin coherence, spin entanglement, and spin transport. In particular, we discuss our detailed quantitative theory for spin relaxation and coherence in electronic materials, resolving in the process a long-standing puzzle of why spin relaxation is extremely fast in Al (compared with other simple metals). In the study of spin entanglement, we consider two electrons in a coupled GaAs double-quantum-dot structure and explore the Hilbert space of the double dot. The specific goal is to critically assess the quantitative aspects of the proposed spin-based quantum dot quantum computer architecture. Finally, we discuss our theory of spin-polarized transport across a semiconductor/metal interface. In particular, we study Andreev reflection, which enables us to quantify the degree of carrier spin polarization and the strength of interfacial scattering.     

Theory of spin noise in nanowires

We develop a theory of spin noise in semiconductor nanowires considered as prospective elements for spintronics. In these structures, spin-orbit coupling can be realized as a random function of a coordinate correlated on a spatial scale of the order of 10?nm. By analyzing different regimes of electron transport and spin dynamics, we demonstrate that the spin relaxation can be very slow, and the resulting noise power spectrum increases algebraically as the frequency goes to zero. This effect makes spin phenomena in nanowires best suitable for studies by rapidly developing spin-noise spectroscopy.     

Dipole-exchange spin wave spectrum in an anisotropic ferromagnetic waveguide with a rectangular cross section

A theory has been constructed that strictly describes the spectrum of dipole-exchange spin waves in an arbitrarily magnetized anisotropic ferrite waveguide with a rectangular cross section. The theory takes into account the spatial inhomogeneity of the internal magnetic field in the waveguide cross section. The influence of parameters of the ferrite waveguide on the distribution of the internal magnetic field in the waveguide cross section is analyzed. The dispersion characteristics of two waveguide types most widely used in practice are investigated. The dipole-exchange spin wave spectra calculated for a transversely magnetized waveguide are presented and the distributions of the dynamic magnetization in the waveguide cross section for several types of volume and localized spin-wave modes are constructed.     

Engineering of carbon-based superlight spin filter with negative differential resistance

Based on density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function, we investigate the edge hydrogenation and oxidation effects on the spin transport of devices consisting of a zigzag C₂N nanoribbon (ZC₂NNR) embedded in zigzag graphene nanoribbons in parallel (P) and antiparallel (AP) spin configurations. The results show that device with edge hydrogenation exhibits dual spin filtering effect in AP spin configuration and obvious negative differential resistance in both P and AP spin configuration. By substituting oxygen for hydrogen as passivation atoms of ZC₂NNR, the spin filtering efficiency is as high as 100% in the P spin configuration, and the negative differential resistance is largely enhanced with a peak to valley ratio in excess of 4×10³. Our theoretical studies suggest that zigzag C₂N nanoribbon modulated by edge substitution has great potential in the design of future multifunctional spin devices.     

Molecular logic gates based on spin caloritronic transport properties of Mn phthalocyanine nanoribbon

Based on the density functional theory along with nonequilibrium Green's function technique, we investigate the spin caloritronic transport properties of ferromagnetic one-dimensional Mn phthalocyanine nanoribbon under different magnetic configurations. The results demonstrate the thermally-driven spin-dependent currents depend strongly on the choice of magnetic configuration. The underlying mechanism is analyzed by the Fermi-Dirac distribution function, spin-resolved transmission spectra, band structures and current spectra. And based on those intriguing spin caloritronic transport properties, we design thermal spin AND, OR and NOT molecular logic gates.     

Energy dependent spin filtering by using Fano effect in open quantum rings

An open quantum ring containing magnetic quantum structures which is subjected to the Rashba spin–orbit coupling and Zeeman effect is considered. One dimensional quantum wave guide theory is developed and Transfer matrix method in conjunction with spin-dependent Griffith’s boundary condition is used to calculate the transmission coefficients of the corresponding one-electron scattering problem. Investigations into spin-dependent transport show the characteristic oscillations which are affected by impurities. The existence of Rashba spin–orbit coupling leads to the appearance of Fano resonances in transport. The results indicate that the orientation of Fano line shapes is under the influence of impurities. Also, it is shown that by using Fano resonances the system under study can be used as a cent percent spin-filtering device. The spin-filtering property of this system as a function of energy is affected by impurities and can be used in order to design optimized nanodevices.     

Anti-symmetry consideration on the preservation of entanglement of spin system

In this work we offer an approach to protect the entanglement based on the anti-symmetric property of the Hamiltonian. Our main objective is to protect the entanglement of a given initial three-qubit state which is governed by Hamiltonian of a three-spin Ising chain in site-dependent transverse fields. We show that according to anti-symmetric property of the Hamiltonian with respect to some operators mimicking the time reversal operator, the dynamics of the system can be effectively reversed. It equips us to control the dynamics of the system. The control procedure is implemented as a sequence of cyclic evolution; accordingly the entanglement of the system is protected for any given initial state with any desired accuracy and long-time. Using this approach we could control not only the multiparty entanglement but also the pairwise entanglement. It is also notable that in this paper although we restrict ourselves mostly within a three-spin Ising chain in site-dependent transverse fields, our approach could be applicable to any n$n$-qubit spin system models.     

Design considerations for semiconductor spin lasers

The threshold of semiconductor lasers is drastically reduced by injection of spin polarized electrons if the laser meets specific design rules. Taking into account the challenges of spin injection, spin transport, and spin relaxation, we discuss the threshold reduction in surface- and edge-emitting spin lasers at room temperature.     

Spatially separated spin carriers in three-ports graphene nanoribbons

Exporting the different spin signals to different ports is of practical importance to graphene-based spintronic devices. In this work, we have designed a three-ports graphene nanoribbon (GNR) device by inserting square-shaped carbon tetragon (CT) into GNR symmetrically, and calculated the magnetic moment distribution and transmission spectrum by using first-principles calculation and quantum transport simulation. Our results show that CT can bring non-equivalent path for two spin transport channels resulting in one spin is easier to transport than the other in each output port. Overall whole model, the spin states would be separated in real space but degenerated in energy. After correcting the device with asymmetric edge hydrogenation, we can achieve spatially separated spin carriers in real space and stable spin transporting. Our results suggest this model can serve as the most basic logic device for applying in future spintronics.     

Simulations of information transport in spin chains

Transport of quantum information in linear spin chains has been the subject of much theoretical work. Experimental studies by NMR in solid state spin systems (a natural implementation of such models) is complicated since the dipolar Hamiltonian is not solely comprised of nearest-neighbor XY-Heisenberg couplings. We present here a similarity transformation between the XY Hamiltonian and the double-quantum Hamiltonian, an interaction which is achievable with the collective control provided by radio-frequency pulses. Not only can this second Hamiltonian simulate the information transport in a spin chain, but it also creates coherent states, whose intensities give an experimental signature of the transport. This scheme makes it possible to study experimentally the transport of polarization beyond exactly solvable models and explore the appearance of quantum coherence and interference effects.     

Spin transport of the quantum integer spin S one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet coupled to phonons

We study the effect of the spin-phonon coupling on spin transport in the S = 1 one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet. The spin conductivity is calculated using the modified spin wave theory and the Kubo formalism of transport. We calculate the regular part of the spin conductivity, σ ^reg (ω), as function of the frequency at finite temperature. We obtain a strong effect of the magnon-phonon interaction on magnon transport.     

Switching spin and charge between edge states in topological insulator constrictions

We show how the coupling between opposite edge states, which overlap in a constriction made of the topological insulator mercury telluride (HgTe), can be employed both for steering the charge flow into different edge modes and for controlled spin switching. Unlike in a conventional spin transistor, the switching does not rely on a tunable Rashba spin-orbit interaction, but on the energy dependence of the edge state wave functions. Based on this mechanism, and supported by extensive numerical transport calculations, we present two different ways to control spin and charge currents, depending on the local gating of the constriction, resulting in a high fidelity spin transistor.