Spin Hall Effect

Abstract

It is proposed that when a charge current circulates in a paramagnetic metal a transverse spin imbalance will be generated, giving rise to a ``spin Hall voltage.'' Similarly, it is proposed that when a spin current circulates a transverse charge imbalance will be generated, giving rise to a Hall voltage, in the absence of charge current and magnetic field. Based on these principles we propose an experiment to generate and detect a spin current in a paramagnetic metal.