Eur. Phys. J. B 22, 99-110 (2001)
https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00011139

Spin-transport in multi-terminal normal metal-ferromagnet systems with non-collinear magnetizations

¹ Harvard University, Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
² Delft University of Technology, Laboratory of Applied Physics and Delft Institute for Microelectronics, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands

Corresponding author: ^a brataas@fas.harvard.edu

Received: 5 February 2001
Published online: 15 July 2001

Abstract

A theory of spin-transport in hybrid normal metal-ferromagnetic electronic circuits is developed, taking into account non-collinear spin-accumulation. Spin-transport through resistive elements is described by 4 conductance parameters. Microscopic expression for these conductances are derived in terms of scattering matrices and explicitly calculated for simple models. The circuit theory is applied to 2-terminal and 3-terminal devices attached to ferromagnetic reservoirs.