title: Spin-to-charge conversion using Rashba coupling at the interface between non-magnetic materials.
abstract: The Rashba effect is an interaction between the spin and the momentum of electrons induced by the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in surface or interface states. Its potential for conversion between charge and spin currents has been theoretically predicted but never clearly demonstrated for surfaces or interfaces of metals. Here we present experiments evidencing a large spin-charge conversion by the Bi/Ag Rashba interface. We use spin pumping to inject a spin current from a NiFe layer into a Bi/Ag bilayer and we detect the resulting charge current. As the charge signal is much smaller (negligible) with only Bi (only Ag), the spin-to-charge conversion can be unambiguously ascribed to the Rashba coupling at the Bi/Ag interface. This result demonstrates that the Rashba effect at interfaces can be used for efficient charge-spin conversion in spintronics.
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut Nanosciences et Cryogénie, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France [2] Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53-38041 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: J C Rojas
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut Nanosciences et Cryogénie, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France [2] Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53-38041 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut Nanosciences et Cryogénie, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France [2] Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53-38041 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desfonds
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut Nanosciences et Cryogénie, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France [2] Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53-38041 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gambarelli
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut Nanosciences et Cryogénie, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France [2] Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53-38041 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Attané
authors.affiliation: 1] Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza-CSIC, Facultad de Ciencias, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: De Teresa
authors.affiliation: 1] Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Fundación ARAID, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magén
authors.affiliation: 1] Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thalès, Campus Polytechnique, 91767 Palaiseau, France [2] Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fert