%0 Journal Article
%A Long, Nguyen Hoang
%A Mavropoulos, Phivos
%A Bauer, David
%A Zimmermann, Bernd
%A Mokrousov, Yuriy
%A Blügel, Stefan
%T Strong spin-orbit fields and Dyakonov-Perel spin dephasing in supported metallic films
%J Physical review / B
%V 94
%N 18
%@ 2469-9950
%C Woodbury, NY
%I Inst.
%M FZJ-2016-07419
%P 180406
%D 2016
%X Spin dephasing by the Dyakonov-Perel mechanism in metallic films deposited on insulating substrates is revealed, and quantitatively examined by means of density functional calculations combined with a kinetic equation. The surface-to-substrate asymmetry, probed by the metal wave functions in thin films, is found to produce strong spin-orbit fields and a fast Larmor precession, giving a dominant contribution to spin decay over the Elliott-Yafet spin relaxation up to a thickness of 70 nm. The spin dephasing is oscillatory in time with a rapid (subpicosecond) initial decay. However, parts of the Fermi surface act as spin traps, causing a persistent tail signal lasting 1000 times longer than the initial decay time. It is also found that the decay depends on the direction of the initial spin polarization, resulting in a spin-dephasing anisotropy of 200% in the examined cases.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000388465200002
%R 10.1103/PhysRevB.94.180406
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/824918