Spin absorption effects for the longitudinal and transverse spin currents in a Permalloy nanowire have been examined by using a lateral spin valve consisting of a V-shaped ferromagnetic injector and detector. The reduction of the nonlocal spin signal due to spin absorption for the transverse spin current was found to be stronger than that for the longitudinal spin current. This result is quantitatively explained by considering the angular dependence of the effective spin polarization, and the fact that the transverse spin relaxation length is less than half that of the longitudinal spin relaxation.

• Received 9 April 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.104417