Charge and spin transport in spin valves with anisotropic spin relaxation

Abstract

We investigate effects of spin-orbit splitting on electronic transport in a spin valve consisting of a large quantum dot defined on a two-dimensional electron gas with two ferromagnetic contacts. In the presence of both structure inversion asymmetry (SIA) and bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA) a giant anisotropy in the spin-relaxation times has been predicted. We show how such an anisotropy affects the electronic transport properties such as the angular magnetoresistance and the spin-transfer torque. Counterintuitively, anisotropic spin-relaxation processes sometimes enhance the spin accumulation.

arXiv comment8 pages

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