Quantum mechanics

Magnetic field

Spin (aerodynamics)

Spin valve

Electromotive force

Magnetization

Spin pumping

Materials science

Ferromagnetism

Nanomagnet

Thermodynamics

Physics

Nanotechnology

Magnetoresistance

Miniaturization

Magnetic refrigeration

Spin Hall effect

Condensed matter physics

Spin engineering

Electron

Spintronics

Optoelectronics

Spin polarization

Nature Electronics

The efficient detection of a magnetic state at nanoscale dimensions is important for the development of spin-logic devices. Magnetoresistance effects can be used to detect magnetic states, but they do not generate an electromotive force (that is, a voltage) or a current that can be used to drive a circuit element for logic device applications. Here we report a favourable scaling law for the detection of an in-plane magnetic state of a magnet by using the inverse spin Hall effect in cobalt–iron/platinum (CoFe/Pt) nanostructured devices. By reducing the dimensions of the device, we obtain a large spin Hall signal of 0.3 Ω at room temperature and quantify an effective spin-to-charge conversion rate for the ferromagnetic/heavy metal system. We predict that this spin–orbit detection of magnetic states could be used to drive spin-logic circuits. A favourable scaling law for the magnetic state readout of CoFe/Pt nanostructure devices allows large spin Hall signals of 0.3 Ω at room temperature to be obtained, which could be useful in the development of spin-logic devices.

Spin–orbit magnetic state readout in scaled ferromagnetic/heavy metal nanostructures