Thermal spin-transfer torque in magnetoelectronic devices

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Aug 10;99(6):066603. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.066603. Epub 2007 Aug 7.

Abstract

We predict that the magnetization direction of a ferromagnet can be reversed by the spin-transfer torque accompanying spin-polarized thermoelectric heat currents. We illustrate the concept by applying a finite-element theory of thermoelectric transport in disordered magnetoelectronic circuits and devices to metallic spin valves. When thermalization is not complete, a spin heat accumulation vector is found in the normal-metal spacer, i.e., a directional imbalance in the temperature of majority and minority spins.