Magnetoresistance due to edge spin accumulation

M. I. Dyakonov

Published 2007-05-18, updated 2007-09-27Version 2

Because of spin-orbit interaction, an electrical current is accompanied by a spin current resulting in spin accumulation near the sample edges. Due again to spin-orbit interaction this causes a small decrease of the sample resistance. An applied magnetic field will destroy the edge spin polarization leading to a positive magnetoresistance. This effect provides means to study spin accumulation by electrical measurements. The origin and the general properties of the phenomenological equations describing coupling between charge and spin currents are also discussed.