Anisotropic property in interacting quantum wires embedded in (110) plane

We investigate the theoretically combined effect of spin-orbit interactions and Coulomb interaction on the ground state and transport property of a quantum wire oriented along different crystallographic directions in the (110) plane. We find that the electron’s ground state exhibits phase transition among spin density wave, charge density wave, singlet superconductivity and metamagnetism, which can be controlled by changing the crystallographic orientation, the strengths of the spin-orbit interactions and the Coulomb interaction. The ac conductance exhibits a significant anisotropic behavior and a out-of-plane spin polarization which can be tuned by an in-plane electric field.     

Valence fluctuations in CeIn3 under the effect of pressure

The impacts of pressure on the structural and electronic properties of CeIn₃ have been calculated. The calculations are performed in the presence and the absence of spin-orbit interaction as well as GGA+U using density functional theory within the PBE-GGA approximation. It is shown that energy and density of states analyses are considerably influenced by the spin-orbit interaction. The spin and orbital magnetic moments of Ce are calculated under pressure up to 22 GPa. An almost linear relation is observed between the magnetic moment and the density of states of Ce-4f at Fermi level. At ambient pressure, a good agreement between the values of the electric field gradients, EFG, and bulk modulus with experimental results is observed. The strongest anisotropy in charge distribution originates from In-5p orbital, which has the main contribution to EFG.     

Spin precession and electron spin polarization wave in [001]-grown quantum wells

We theoretically study the spatial behaviors of spin precessions modulated by an effective magnetic field in a two-dimensional electron system with spin-orbit interaction. Through analysis of interaction between the spin and the effective magnetic field, we find some laws of spin precession in the system, by which we explain some previous phenomena of spin precession, and predict a controllable electron spin polarization wave in [001]-grown quantum wells. The shape of the wave, like water wave, mostly are ellipse-like or circle-like, and the wavelength is anisotropic in the quantum wells with two unequal coupling strengths of the Rashba and Dresselhaus interactions, and is isotropic in the quantum wells with only one spin orbit interaction.     

Geometric correlations and breakdown of mesoscopic universality in spin transport

We construct a unified semiclassical theory of charge and spin transport in chaotic ballistic and disordered diffusive mesoscopic systems with spin-orbit interaction. Neglecting dynamic effects of spin-orbit interaction, we reproduce the random matrix theory results that the spin conductance fluctuates universally around zero average. Incorporating these effects into the theory, we show that geometric correlations generate finite average spin conductances, but that they do not affect the charge conductance to leading order. The theory, which is confirmed by numerical transport calculations, allows us to investigate the entire range from the weak to the previously unexplored strong spin-orbit regime, where the spin rotation time is shorter than the momentum relaxation time.     

存在自旋轨道耦合的介观小环中的持续自旋流

文章作者研究了存在自旋轨道耦合的介观小环的平衡态性质.此前人们已经知道,在有磁通穿过的介观小环中,绕环运动的电子会产生一附加的Berry相位而导致持续电流;同样地,在仅有自旋轨道耦合的体系中,电子绕环运动也应当会产生附加的自旋Berry相位,进而驱动持续自旋流.文章作者通过对一个有正常区和自旋轨道耦合区的复合小环的计算,结果表明,无电流伴随的纯持续自旋流的确存在.文章作者指出,这持续自旋流描述真实的自旋运动,并且它能被实验观测.     

Persistent spin current in a mesoscopic hybrid ring with spin-orbit coupling

We investigate the equilibrium property of a mesoscopic ring with a spin-orbit interaction. It is well known that, for a normal mesoscopic ring threaded by a magnetic flux, the electron acquires a Berry phase that induces the persistent (charge) current. Similarly, the spin of an electron acquires a spin Berry phase traversing a ring with a spin-orbit interaction. It is this spin Berry phase that induces a persistent spin current. To demonstrate its existence, we calculate the persistent spin current without an accompanying charge current in the normal region in a hybrid mesoscopic ring. We point out that this persistent spin current describes the real spin motion and can be observed experimentally.     

Persistent current in a magnetized Rashba ring

We theoretically study the persistent currents flowing in a Rashba quantum ring subjected to the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. By introducing uniform or nonuniform magnetization into the ring, we find that a nonzero persistent charge current circulates in the ring, which stems from the original equilibrium spin current due to the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. Because of broken time reversal symmetry, the two oppositely flowing spin-up and spin-down charge currents of the equilibrium spin current are no longer equal, and so a net persistent charge current can flow in the system. It is also found that the persistent current can be modulated by the Fermi energy, the Rashba spin-orbit interaction strength and the magnetization in the ring. Moreover, the magnetization perpendicular to the ring plane can optimize the current. The persistent current flowing in the ring is a manifestation of the nonzero equilibrium spin current existing in the ring.     

Effects of geometry and linearly polarized cavity photons on charge and spin currents in a quantum ring with spin-orbit interactions

We calculate the persistent charge and spin polarization current inside a finite-width quantum ring of realistic geometry as a function of the strength of the Rashba or Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction. The time evolution in the transient regime of the two-dimensional (2D) quantum ring connected to electrically biased semi-infinite leads is governed by a time-convolutionless non-Markovian generalized master equation. The electrons are correlated via Coulomb interaction. In addition, the ring is embedded in a photon cavity with a single mode of linearly polarized photon field, which is polarized either perpendicular or parallel to the charge transport direction. To analyze carefully the physical effects, we compare to the analytical results of the toy model of a one-dimensional (1D) ring of non-interacting electrons with spin-orbit coupling. We find a pronounced charge current dip associated with many-electron level crossings at the Aharonov-Casher phase ΔΦ = π, which can be disguised by linearly polarized light. Qualitative agreement is found for the spin polarization currents of the 1D and 2D ring. Quantitatively, however, the spin polarization currents are weaker in the more realistic 2D ring, especially for weak spin-orbit interaction, but can be considerably enhanced with the aid of a linearly polarized electromagnetic field. Specific spin polarization current symmetries relating the Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction case to the Rashba one are found to hold for the 2D ring, which is embedded in the photon cavity.     

Spin-orbit coupling in interacting quasi-one-dimensional electron systems

We present a new model for the study of spin-orbit coupling in interacting quasi-one-dimensional systems and solve it exactly to find the spectral properties of such systems. We show that the combination of spin-orbit coupling and electron-electron interactions results in the replacement of separate spin and charge excitations with two new kinds of bosonic mixed-spin-charge excitation, and a characteristic modification of the spectral function and single-particle density of states. Our results show how manipulation of the spin-orbit coupling, with external electric fields, can be used for the experimental determination of microscopic interaction parameters in quantum wires.     

Electrical generation of pure spin current with oscillating spin-orbit interaction

We propose an electrical scheme for the generation of a pure spin current without a charge current in a two-terminal device, which consists of a scattering region of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with Rashba (R) and/or Dresselhaus (S) spin-orbit interaction (SOI) and two normal leads. The SOI is modulated by a time-dependent gate voltage to pump a spin current. Based on a tight-binding model and the Keldysh Green’s function technique, we obtain the analytical expression of the spin current. It is shown that a pure spin current can be pumped out, and its magnitude could be modulated by device parameters such as the oscillating frequency of the SOI, as well as the SOI strength. Moreover, the spin polarisation direction of the spin current could also be tuned by the strength ratio between RSOI and DSOI. Our proposal provides not only a fully electrical means to generate a pure spin current but also a way to control the spin polarisation direction of the generated spin current.     

Spin current and polarization in impure two-dimensional electron systems with spin-orbit coupling

We derive the transport equations for two-dimensional electron systems with Rashba spin-orbit interaction and short-range spin-independent disorder. In the limit of slow spatial variations, we obtain coupled diffusion equations for the electron density and spin. Using these equations we calculate electric-field induced spin accumulation and spin current in a finite-size sample for an arbitrary ratio between spin-orbit energy splitting Delta and elastic scattering rate tau(-1). We demonstrate that the spin-Hall conductivity vanishes in an infinite system independent of this ratio.     

Current-induced spin polarization and the spin Hall effect: A quasiclassical approach

The quasiclassical Green function formalism is used to describe charge and spin dynamics in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. We review the results obtained for the spin Hall effect on restricted geometries. The role of boundaries is discussed in the framework of spin diffusion equations.     

Spin Thermoelectric Effects in a Three-Terminal Double-Dot Interferometer

We theoretically investigate the thermoelectric properties of a three-terminal double-dot interferometer with Rashba spin-orbit interaction. It is found that with some temperature distributions a thermal spin current can even be produced without the help of magnetic flux and by tuning the spin interference effect in the system, a pure spin or fully spin-polarized current can be driven by temperature differences. For the cases that two of the terminals are held at the same temperature, the charge (spin) thermopower and the charge (spin) figure of merit are defined and calculated in the linear response regime. With some choices of the system parameters the calculated spin and charge thermopowers are of the same order of magnitude and the charge figure of merit can exceed 1.     

Spin polarization in parallel double dots with spin-orbit interaction

Spin polarization in parallel double quantum dots embedded in arms of Aharonov-Bohm interferometer is investigated. The spin-orbit interaction exists in quantum dots. We find that the spin polarization is quite large even with a weak spin-orbit interaction. The direction and the strength of the spin polarization are well controllable and manipulatable by simply varying the strength of spin-orbit interaction or the energy levels in quantum dots. Moreover, electron-electron interaction strengthens the spin accumulation when the energy levels of the two quantum dots are identical. As the energy levels are unequal, electron-electron interaction cannot increase the spin accumulation. It is worth mentioning that the device is free of a magnetic field or a ferromagnetic material and it can be easily realized with present technology.     

Spin and charge transport in the presence of spin-orbit interaction

We present the study of spin and charge transport in nanostructures in the presence of spin-orbit (SO) interaction. Single band tight binding Hamiltonians for Elliot-Yafet and Rashba SO interaction are derived. Using these tight binding Hamiltonians and spin resolved Landauer-Büttiker formula, spin and charge transport is studied. Specifically numerical results are presented for a new method to perform magnetic scanning tunneling microscopy with non-magnetic tip but in the presence of Elliot-Yafet SO interaction. The spin relaxation phenomena in two-dimensional electron gas in the presence of Rashba SO interaction are studied and contrary to naive expectation, it is shown that disorder helps to reduce spin relaxation.     

Selective probing of photoinduced charge and spin dynamics in the bulk and surface of a topological insulator

Topological insulators possess completely different spin-orbit coupled bulk and surface electronic spectra that are each predicted to exhibit exotic responses to light. Here we report time-resolved fundamental and second harmonic optical pump-probe measurements on the topological insulator Bi(2)Se(3) to independently measure its photoinduced charge and spin dynamics with bulk and surface selectivity. Our results show that a transient net spin density can be optically induced in both the bulk and surface, which may drive spin transport in topological insulators. By utilizing a novel rotational anisotropy analysis we are able to separately resolve the spin depolarization, intraband cooling, and interband recombination processes following photoexcitation, which reveal that spin and charge degrees of freedom relax on very different time scales owing to strong spin-orbit coupling.     

Charge density of a positively charged vector boson may be negative

The charge density of vector particles, for example W(+/-), may change sign. The effect manifests itself even for a free propagation, when the energy of the W-boson satisfies epsilon>sqrt[2]m and the standing wave is considered. The charge density of W also changes sign in a vicinity of a Coulomb center. For an arbitrary vector boson (e.g., for spin 1 mesons), this effect depends on the g-factor. An origin of this surprising effect is traced to the electric quadrupole moment and spin-orbit interaction of vector particles; their contributions to the current have a polarization nature. The corresponding charge density equals rho(Pol)=-inverted Delta . P, where P is an effective polarization vector that depends on the quadrupole moment and spin-orbit interaction. This density oscillates in space, producing zero contribution to the total charge.     

Quantum charge density fluctuations and the phase transition in Ce

We have calculated the quantum quadrupolar interaction due to charge density fluctuations of localized 4f-electrons in Ce by taking into account the angular dependence, the degeneracy of the localized 4f -orbitals and the spin-orbit coupling. The calculated crystal field of 4 f electronic states is in good agreement with neutron diffraction measurements. We show that orientational ordering of quantum quadrupoles drives a phase transition at K which we assign with the transformation. In the phase the centers of mass of the Ce atoms still form a face centered cubic lattice. The theory accounts for the first order character of the transition and for the cubic lattice contraction which accompanies the transition. The transition temperature increases linearly with pressure. Our approach does not involve Kondo spin fluctuations as the significant process for the phase transition. Received 19 October 1998     

Competition between Jahn-Teller effect and spin-orbit coupling in Td Au20 ±γ, γ = 1,2,3

In this work we explored the competition between spin-orbit and Jahn-Teller effects as decisive influences in the ground states of the T_d Au₂₀ ^±γ (γ=1,2,3). All our electronic calculations were based in the relativistic density functional theory in the zeroth-order regular approximation (ZORA) to the Dirac equation. Calculations were done in both versions of ZORA: scalar relativistic and full-relativistic including the spin-orbit interaction. We concluded that for the Au₂₀ ^-3 ion is necessary to use a full-relativistic theory in order to predict a symmetry-lowering from tetrahedral. We predict a trigonal C_3v isomeric form for this trianion due to a Jahn-Teller distortion of its parent T_d. For the rest of ions we found a tendency to conserve their pristine tetrahedral configurations. In these cases we found one of both possibilities: a quenching of the vibronic interaction by spin-orbit coupling or simply a weak Jahn-Teller effect which is not enough to distort appreciably the cluster.