We report the terahertz (THz) emission from Bi1-xSbx/Co and Bi2SnTe4/Co bilayers including nanometer-thin ferromagnetic layer as spin-injectors and Bi1-xSbx and Bi2SnTe4 topological insulators (TI) from the Bi family grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Using THz emission spectroscopy, an efficient dynamical spin-to-charge conversion in the sub-picosecond timescale is demonstrated in these heterostructures with an output THz amplitude sizeable compared to reference metallic spintronic THz emitters. We investigate TI thickness dependence and azimuthal crystalline orientation dependence on the THz emission which are both in line with interfacially-mediated interconversion. We show that a strong reminiscent THz signal at the limit of small TI thickness is explained by a spin-charge interconversion occurring at the level of the first planes of their interface in contact with Co. This strongly suggests a spin-charge interconversion via inverse Rashba-Edelstein effect (IREE) onto spin-locked TI’s interface states.
THz emission spectroscopy reveals to be a very powerful experimental method to investigate the properties of Rashba or topological insulator surface states. The THz emission can be also used in heavy metallic or in more general Rashba systems. We prove here the ability of the present method. In 3d/5d transient metal bilayers and beyond heavy metal structures, Rashba states and Topological insulators are expected candidates for spintronic-terahertz domains due to their high spin to charge conversion properties. In this scheme, we are interested in the samples based on 2D electron gas, topological insulators and Heusler alloys with strong spin-orbit coupling.
Terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy in spin systems has become a very powerful method to generate THz radiation and to investigate the properties of Rashba or Topological Insulator surface states. The THz emission can be generated in heavy metallic or in more general Rashba systems. In 3d/5d transient metal bilayers THz emission in via the Inverse Spin Hall effect. Beyond heavy metal structures, Rashba states are strong candidates for THz-spintronics owing to their high spin to charge conversion properties. Here we present 2D electron gas with strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling and demonstrate THz emission via the Inverse Edelstein Effect.
The rich physics of spin transfer nano-oscillators (STNO) has provoked a huge interest to create a new generation of multi-functional microwave spintronic devices [1]. It has been often emphasized that their nonlinear behavior gives a unique opportunity to tune their radiofrequency (rf) properties but at the cost of large phase noise, not compatible with practical applications. To tackle this issue as well as to open the opportunities to new developments for non-boolean computations [1], one strategy is to use electrical synchronization of STOs through the rf current. Thereby, it is crucial to understand how the synchronization forces transmitted through the electric current. In this talk, we will first present the results of an experimental study showing the self-synchronization of STNO by re-injecting its rf current after a certain delay time [2]. In the second part, we demonstrate that the synchronization of two vortex-STNOs connected in parallel can be tuned either by an artificial delay or by the spin transfer torques [3]. The synchronization of spin-torque oscillators, combined with the drastic improvement of the rf-features (linewidth decreases by a factor of 2 and power increases by a factor of 4) in the synchronized state, marks an important milestone towards a new generation of rf-devices based on STNO.
The authors acknowledge the financial support from ANR agency (SPINNOVA: ANR-11-NANO-0016) and EU grant (MOSAIC: ICT-FP7-317950).
[1] N. Locatelli, V. Cros, and J. Grollier, Nat Mater 13, 11 (2014).
[2] S. Tsunegi et al., arXiv:1509.05583 (2015)
[3] R. Lebrun et al., arXiv:1601.01247 (2016)
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