Modeling of thermal spin transport and spin-orbit effects in ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic mesoscopic devices

Abstract

In this article we extend the currently established diffusion theory of spin-dependent electrical conduction by including spin-dependent thermoelectricity and thermal transport. Using this theory, we propose experiments aimed at demonstrating novel effects such as the spin-Peltier effect, the reciprocal of the recently demonstrated thermally driven spin injection, as well as the magnetic heat valve. We use finite-element methods to model specific devices in literature to demonstrate our theory. Spin-orbit effects such as the spin-Hall effects are also included in this model. © 2011 American Physical Society.