The electron transport properties of hybrid ferromagnetic|normal metal
structures such as multilayers and spin valves depend on the relative
orientation of the magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic elements.
Whereas the contrast in the resistance for parallel and antiparallel
magnetizations, the so-called Giant Magnetoresistance, is relatively well
understood for quite some time, a coherent picture for non-collinear
magnetoelectronic circuits and devices has evolved only recently. We review
here such a theory for electron charge and spin transport with general
magnetization directions that is based on the semiclassical concept of a vector
spin accumulation. In conjunction with first-principles calculations of
scattering matrices many phenomena, e.g. the current-induced spin-transfer
torque, can be understood and predicted quantitatively for different material
combinations.Comment: 163 pages, to be published in Physics Report