Question

What is the spin Hall effect? How is it affected by magnets? Explain both in detail, in words a common person could understand.

Answer 1

Spin hall effect consists of the appearance of spin accumulation on the lateral surface of an electric current carrying sample, the signs of spin direction being opposite on the opposite boundaries.

If a strong enough magnetic field is applied in the direction perpendicular to the orientation of the spins at the surfaces, spins will precess around the direction of the magnetic field and the hall effect will disappear. Thus in the presence of a magnetic field, the combined action of the direct and inverse spin hall effect leads to a change of the sample resistance, an effect that is of second order in spin-orbit interaction