First‐principle approach to the study of spin relaxation times of excited electrons in metals

Abstract

AbstractWe have developed a first‐principle method of calculating the spin–lattice relaxation time of excited electrons in metals based on the GW approach incorporating spin–orbit coupling. We have studied the spin–lattice relaxation time and path in Al, Cu, Au, Nb and Ta. The spin–lattice relaxation time and path in Nb appear to be much less than in Al, Cu, Au. They are particularly small in Ta, in accord with strong spin–orbit coupling.Comparing our results with experimental data on the impurity‐ and phonon‐induced spin relaxation times and path's, we find that at the energy about of 0.9 eV, which is typical for excited electrons in spin‐valve and magnetic‐tunnel transistors, the inelastic scattering accompanied by creation of electron–hole pairs is the dominating mechanism of spin–lattice relaxation. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)