Pis’ma v ZhETF, vol. 105, iss. 1, pp. 21 – 22 2017 January 10 c Current noise generated by spin imbalance in presence of spin relaxation V. S.Khrapai+∗1), K.E.Nagaev+Ч +Institute of Solid State Physics RAS, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia ∗Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia ЧKotelnikov Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics, 125009 Moscow, Russia Submitted 2 November 2016 DOI: 10.7868/S0370274X17010040 The ability to detect nonequilibrium spin accumulation (imbalance) by all-electrical means is one of the key ingredients in spintronics [1]. <...> Transport detection typically relies on a nonlocal measurement of a contact potential difference induced by the spin imbalance by means of ferromagnetic contacts [2–6] or spin resolving detectors [7]. <...> A drawback of these approaches lies in a difficulty to extract the absolute value of the spin imbalance without an independent calibration. <...> An alternative concept of a spin-to-charge conversion via nonequilibrium shot noise was introduced in Ref. [8] and recently investigated experimentally [9]. <...> Here, the basic idea is that a nonequilibrium spin imbalance generates spontaneous current fluctuations, even in the absence of a net electric current. <...> Being a primary approach [10], the shot noise based detection is potentially suitable for the absolute measurement of the spin imbalance. <...> It is well known, how a relaxation of the electronic energy distribution via inelastic electron-phonon [12] and electron- electron [13, 14] scattering influences the shot noise in diffusive conductors and nonequilibrium spin valves [15]. <...> In this letter, we calculate the impact of a spin relaxation on the spin imbalance generated shot noise in the absence of inelastic processes. <...> We find that the spin relaxation increases the noise up to a factor of two, depending on the ratio of the conductor length and the spin relaxation length. <...> It consists of a diffusive wire, one end of which is grounded and the other is attached to a conducting island much larger than the transverse dimensions of the contact. <...> The spin imbalance in the island is produced by electron tunneling through two junctions connecting it to ferromagnetic leads with antiparallel magnetizations. <...> A diffusive normal wire of the length L is attached to normal islands on both ends. <...> Nonequilibrium energy distribution on the left hand <...>