Fundamental limits of energy dissipation in spintronic interconnects using optical spin pumping

In this paper, fundamental limits of injection of spin-polarized electrons in a non-magnetic material via optical pumping is investigated. Unlike electrical spin injection which can be used for injecting spins into either metallic or semiconducting non-magnets, optical spin pumping is restricted to non-magnets that have a bandgap (e.g. GaAs). Physical models of energy dissipation for both optical and electrical spin-injection schemes are derived. A comparison of their energy dissipation provides useful insights into their relative merits and limits, while also providing guidelines for selecting a specific fabric and topology for spin-based nanoarchitectures.