We theoretically investigate spin current and magnetic response induced by the twisting phonon mode in carbon nanotubes via the spin-rotation coupling. An effective magnetic field due to the twisting mode induces both spin and orbital magnetizations. The induced spin and orbital magnetizations have both radial and axial components. We show that ac pure spin current is generated by the twisting phonon mode. The magnitude of the spin current and orbital magnetization for a (10,10) armchair nanotube is estimated as an example. We find that the ac pure spin current is detectable in magnitude when the frequency of the twisting mode is of the order of GHz, and that the orbital magnetization is found to be larger than the spin magnetization.

• Received 27 May 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.060409