Large Tunable Spin-to-Charge Conversion in NiFe/Molybdenum Disulfide by Cu Insertion.

Spin-to-charge conversion at the interface between magnetic materials and transition metal dichalcogenides has drawn great interest in the research efforts to develop fast and ultralow power consumption devices for spintronic applications. Here, we report room temperature observations of spin-to-charge conversion arising from the interface of NiFe (Py) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS). This phenomenon can be characterized by the inverse Edelstein effect length (λ), which is enhanced with decreasing MoS thicknesses, demonstrating the dominant role of spin-orbital coupling (SOC) in MoS. The spin-to-charge conversion can be significantly improved by inserting a Cu interlayer between Py and MoS, suggesting that the Cu interlayer can prevent magnetic proximity effect from the Py layer and protect the SOC on the MoS surface from exchange interactions with Py. Furthermore, the Cu-MoS interface can enhance the spin current and improve electronic transport. Our results suggest that tailoring the interface of magnetic heterostructures provides an alternative strategy for the development of spintronic devices to achieve higher spin-to-charge conversion efficiencies.