spin current distribution measurement by scanning probe microscopy

在自旋电子学中，自旋流的产生和检测方法的发展是一个非常重要的问题。近年来，随着微细加工技术的进步，横向自旋阀器件已经实现，并报道了一些关于自旋电流检测的报道。在这项研究中，我们使用扫描探针显微镜作为横向自旋阀装置的一个电极，通过局部探测自旋极化的隧道电流，目的是绘制自旋电流分布的二维图谱。我们发展了对自旋探测至关重要的扫描隧道电位法(STP)。

In spintronics, development of the generation and detection methods of spin current is a very important issue. By the progress of microfabrication techniques in recent years, the lateral spin-valve devices have come to be realized and several reports on spin current detection have been reported. In this study, by detecting spin-polarized tunnel current locally with using a tip of scanning probe microscopy as one electrode of the lateral spin-valve devices, we aimed at two-dimensional mapping of the spin current distribution. We have developed scanning tunneling potentiometry(STP) which was essential for the spin detection.