Perovskite as a spin current generator

Understand

We theoretically show that materials with perovskite-type crystal structures provide a platform for spin current generation, taking advantage of a mechanism requiring neither the spin-orbit coupling nor a ferromagnetic moment, but is based on spin-split band structures in certain kinds of collinear antiferromagnetic states.

• By investigating a multiband Hubbard model for transition metal compounds by means of the Hartree-Fock approximation and the Boltzmann transport theory, we find that a pure spin current is induced by an electric field applied to a C-type antiferromagnetic metallic phase.
• The spin current generation originates from a cooperative effect of spatially anisotropic electron transfer integrals owing to the GdFeO$_3$-type lattice distortion, which is ubiquitous in many perovskites, and the collinear spin configuration.
• We discuss our finding from the symmetry point of view, in comparison with other spin current generator candidates with collinear antiferomagnetism.