Current-induced torques in the presence of spin-orbit coupling

Phys Rev Lett. 2010 Sep 17;105(12):126602. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.126602. Epub 2010 Sep 17.

Abstract

In systems with strong spin-orbit coupling, the relationship between spin transfer torque and the divergence of the spin current is generalized to a relation between spin transfer torques, total angular momentum current, and mechanical torques. In ferromagnetic semiconductors, where the spin-orbit coupling is large, these considerations modify the behavior of the spin transfer torques. One example is a persistent spin transfer torque in a spin valve: the spin transfer torque does not decay away from the interface but approaches a constant value. A second example is a mechanical torque at a single ferromagnetic-nonmagnetic interface.