Rotational viscosity in spin resonance of hydrodynamic electrons

Abstract

In novel ultrapure materials electrons can form a viscous fluid, which is fundamentally different in its dynamics from the electron gas in ordinary conductors with a significant density of defects. The shape of the nonstationary flow of such an electron fluid is similar to the alternating flow of blood in large-radius arteries [J. R. Womersley, J. Physiol. 127, 553 (1955)]. The rotational viscosity effect is responsible for the interconnection between the dynamics of electron spins and flow inhomogeneities. In particular, it induces the spin polarization of electrons in a curled flow via an internal spin-orbit torque acting on electron spins. Here, we show that this effect in an electron fluid placed in a magnetic field leads to a correction to the ac sample impedance, which has a resonance at the Larmor frequency of electrons. In this way, via the electrically detected spin resonance, the Womersley flow of an electron fluid can be visualized and the rotational viscosity can be measured.