Abstract
We show that a femtosecond spin-current pulse can generate terahertz (THz) transients at Rashba interfaces between two nonmagnetic materials. Our results unambiguously demonstrate the importance of the interface in this conversion process that we interpret in terms of the inverse Rashba Edelstein effect, in contrast to the THz emission in the bulk conversion process via the inverse spin-Hall effect. Furthermore, we show that at Rashba interfaces the THz-field amplitude can be controlled by the helicity of the light. The optical generation of electric photocurrents by these interfacial effects in the femtosecond regime will open up new opportunities in ultrafast spintronics.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 207207 |
| Journal | Physical review letters |
| Volume | 120 |
| Issue number | 20 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 18 2018 |
Funding
We thank T. Kampfrath, K. Roy, R. Winkler, and W. Jiang for valuable discussions. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Materials Science and Engineering Division. The use of Center for Nanoscale Materials is supported by DOE-BES, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. H. W. acknowledges the support from the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-SC0012509.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Physics and Astronomy