Nonlinear interaction of spin and charge currents in graphene

I. J. Vera-Marun, V. Ranjan, B. J. van Wees

Published 2011-04-25, updated 2011-12-29Version 2

We describe a nonlinear interaction between charge currents and spin currents which arises from the energy dependence of the conductivity. This allows nonmagnetic contacts to be used for measuring and controlling spin signals. We choose graphene as a model system to study these effects and predict its magnitudes in nonlocal spin valve devices. The ambipolar behavior of graphene is used to demonstrate amplification of spin accumulation in p-n junctions by applying a charge current through nonmagnetic contacts.