Computational studies of charge-to-spin conversion and spin transport in chiral crystals
In his thesis, Karma Tenzin focuses on the intrinsic spin degree of freedom of electrons in chiral crystals. The overarching goal of his work is to advance the understanding necessary for developing next-generation spintronic devices - a rapidly emerging field in modern electronics.
Chiral crystals are a unique class of materials that exist as non-superimposable mirror images of each other, much like human hands. A key finding in Tenzin's research is that certain spin-related phenomena, such as the Rashba–Edelstein effect, are dependent on the crystal’s chirality. This dependence offers an opportunity to tailor material chirality to achieve desired spin properties in spintronic device design.
Furthermore, Tenzin demonstrates that a material’s spin texture alone does not determine its charge-to-spin conversion efficiency; instead, the efficiency is governed by the overall band topology of the system. Tenzin also investigated the role of electronic relaxation time in spin transport, revealing that electronic states with longer relaxation times are the main contributors to electrically induced magnetization in nonmagnetic chiral crystals.Overall, this thesis deepens our understanding of spin phenomena in chiral materials and highlights their potential for designing ultrafast, energy-efficient spintronic devices of the future.