Abstract
We derive a kinetic theory capable of dealing both with large spin-orbit coupling and Kondo screening in dilute magnetic alloys. We obtain the collision integral nonperturbatively and uncover a contribution proportional to the momentum derivative of the impurity scattering matrix. The latter yields an important correction to the spin diffusion and spin-charge conversion coefficients, and fully captures the so-called side-jump process without resorting to the Born approximation (which fails for resonant scattering), or to otherwise heuristic derivations. We apply our kinetic theory to a quantum impurity model with strong spin-orbit, which captures the most important features of Kondo-screened Cerium impurities in alloys such as . We find (1) a large zero-temperature spin-Hall conductivity that depends solely on the Fermi wave number and (2) a transverse spin diffusion mechanism that modifies the standard Fick’s diffusion law. Our predictions can be readily verified by standard spin-transport measurements in metal alloys with Kondo impurities.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 176801 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 127 |
Issue number | 17 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 22 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:C. H. acknowledges useful discussion with Nemin Wei and Qian Niu. C. H. thanks Donostia International Physics Center for hospitality and acknowledges support from Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN) (Project No. FIS2017-82804-P). I. V. T. acknowledges support by Grupos Consolidados UPV/EHU del Gobierno Vasco (Grant No. IT1249-19). M. A. C. acknowledges the support of Ikerbasque (Basque Foundation for Science). The work of M. A. C. was also carried out by joint research in the International Research Unit of Quantum Information, Kyoto University.
Funding Information:
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Physical Society
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy (all)