Spin Seebeck effect at low temperatures in the nominally paramagnetic insulating state of vanadium dioxide

The low temperature monoclinic, insulating phase of vanadium dioxide is ordinarily considered nonmagnetic, with dimerized vanadium atoms forming spin singlets, though paramagnetic response is seen at low temperatures. We find a nonlocal spin Seebeck signal in VO2 films that appears below 30 K and which increases with decreasing temperature. The spin Seebeck response has a non-hysteretic dependence on in-plane external magnetic field. This paramagnetic spin Seebeck response is discussed in terms of prior findings on paramagnetic spin Seebeck effects and expected magnetic excitations of the monoclinic ground state.