Currents and torques due to spin-dependent diffraction in ferromagnetic/spin spiral bilayers

Spin-dependent transport through the interface between a ferromagnet and a spin spiral is investigated using both ballistic and diffusive models. We find that spin-dependent interferences lead to a new type of diffraction called 'spin diffraction'. It is shown that this spin diffraction leads to local spin and electrical current along the interface, as well as spin transfer torque acting on the spin spiral. This study also emphasizes that in highly inhomogeneous magnetic configurations, diffracted electrons must be taken into account to properly describe the spin transport.