Thermal induced spin-polarized current protected by spin-momentum locking in ZrTe5 nanowires

Abstract

Spin-momentum locking arising from strong spin-orbit coupling is one of the key natures of topological materials. Since charge can induce a spin polarization due to spin-momentum locking, the search for materials that exhibit this feature has become one of the top priorities in the field of spintronics. In this paper, we report the electrical detection of the spin-transport properties of ${\mathrm{ZrTe}}_{5}$ nanowires, using a nonlocal geometry measurement. A clear hysteresis voltage signal, which depends on the relative orientations between the magnetization of the ferromagnetic electrodes and the carrier spin polarization, has been observed. The hysteresis voltage states can be reversed by altering the electron movement direction, providing direct evidence of the spin-momentum locking feature of ${\mathrm{ZrTe}}_{5}$ nanowires and revealing its topological nature. Furthermore, the current-dependent measurement suggests that the charge (spin) current is induced by thermal effect, which utilizes the thermoelectric properties of ${\mathrm{ZrTe}}_{5}$. Using the thermal effect to control the spin-polarized current protected by spin-momentum locking offers possibilities for small-sized devices based on the topological materials.