Spin Accumulation in a Rashba Nanoribbon

We investigate theoretically the spin accumulation in a Rashba spin-orbit coupling （SOC） nanoribbon nonadiabatically connected to a normal conductor. Both the nanoribbon and conductor are described by a hard-wall confining potential. Using the scattering matrix approach within the effective free-electron approximation, we have calculated the out-of-plane spin accumulation in the nanoribbon. It is found that the spin accumulation shifts toward the two edges of nanoribbon with the increasing of propagation modes. Specifically, as the Rashba SOC strength increases the spin accumulation in the nanoribbon will be enhanced and this result may suggest us a simple method to control the spin accumulation of the system by Rashba SOC strength.     

Spin Accumulation in a Rashba Nanoribbon

We investigate theoretically the spin accumulation in a Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) nanoribbon nonadiabatically connected to a normal conductor. Both the nanoribbon and conductor are described by a hard-wall confining potential. Using thescattering matrix approach within the effective free-electron approximation, we have calculated the out-of-plane spin accumulation in the nanoribbon. It is found that the spin accumulation shifts toward the two edges of nanoribbon with the increasing of propagation modes. Specifically, as the Rashba SOC strength increases the spin accumulation in the nanoribbon will be enhanced and this result may suggest us a simple method to control the spin accumulation of the system by Rashba SOC strength.     

Inverse Spin Hall Effect in Two-Terminal Device with Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling

We report a theoretic study on the inverse spin-Hall effect （ISHE） in a two-terminal nano-device that consists of a two-dimensional electron gas （2DEG） with Rashba spin-orbit coupling （RSOC） and two ideal leads. Based on a two-site toy model and Keldysh Green＇s function method, we derive an analytic result of ISHE, which shows clearly that a nonzero transverse charge current stems from the combined effect of the RSOC, the spin bias, and its spin polarization direction in spin space. Our further numerical calculations in a larger system other than two-site lattice model demonstrate that the transverse charge current, dependent on the strength of the RSOC, the Fermi energy of the system, as well as the system size, can exhibit oscillating behavior and even reverse its sign due to Rashba spin precession. These properties may be helpful for eficient detection of the spin current （spin bias） by measuring the transverse charge current in a spin-orbital coupling system.     

Spin Hall and spin Nernst effects in graphene with intrinsic and Rashba spin-orbit interactions

The spin Hall and spin Nernst effects in graphene are studied based on Green’s function formalism.We calculate intrinsic contributions to spin Hall and spin Nernst conductivities in the Kane-Mele model with various structures.When both intrinsic and Rashba spin-orbit interactions are present,their interplay leads to some characteristics of the dependence of spin Hall and spin Nernst conductivities on the Fermi level.When the Rashba spin-orbit interaction is smaller than intrinsic spin-orbit coupling,a weak kink in the conductance appears.The kink disappears and a divergence appears when the Rashba spin-orbit interaction enhances.When the Rashba spin-orbit interaction approaches and is stronger than intrinsic spin-orbit coupling,the divergence becomes more obvious.     

Controllable Spin Polarization of Charge Current by Rashba Spin Orbital Coupling

We report a theoretic study on modulating the spin polarization of charge current in a mesoscopic fourterminal device of cross structure by using the inverse spin hall effect. The scattering region of device is a two-dimensional electron gas （2DEG） with Rashba spin orbital interaction （RSOI）, one of lead is ferromagnetic metal and other three leads are spin-degenerate normal metals. By using Landauer-Biittiker formalism, we found that when a longitudinal charge current flows through 2DEG scattering region from FM lead by external bias, the transverse current can be either a pure spin current or full-polarized charge current due to the combined effect of spin hall effect and its inverse process, and the polarization of this transverse current can be easily controlled by several device parameters such as the Fermi energy, ferromagnetic magnetization, and the RSOI constant. Our method may pave a new way to control the spin polarization of a charge current.     

Spin current and its heat effect in a multichannel quantum wire with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Using the perturbation method,we theoretically study the spin current and its heat effect in a multichannel quantum wire with Rashba spin-orbit coupling.The heat generated by the spin current is calculated.With the increase of the width of the quantum wire,the spin current and the heat generated both exhibit period oscillations with equal amplitudes.When the quantum-channel number is doubled,the oscillation periods of the spin current and of the heat generated both decrease by a factor of 2.For the spin current j s,xy,the amplitude increases with the decrease of the quantum channel;while the amplitude of the spin current j s,yx remains the same.Therefore we conclude that the effect of the quantum-channel number on the spin current j s,xy is greater than that on the spin current j s,yx.The strength of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling is tunable by the gate voltage,and the gate voltage can be varied experimentally,which implies a new method of detecting the spin current.In addition,we can control the amplitude and the oscillation period of the spin current by controlling the number of the quantum channels.All these characteristics of the spin current will be very important for detecting and controlling the spin current,and especially for designing new spintronic devices in the future.     

Electron transport for a laser-irradiated quantum channel with Rashba spin--orbit coupling

We investigate theoretically the electron transport for a two-level quantum channel (wire) with Rashba spin--orbit coupling under the irradiation of a longitudinally-polarized external laser field at low temperatures. Using the method of equation of motion for Keldysh nonequilibrium Green function, we examine the time-averaged spin polarized conductance for the system with photon polarization parallel to the wire direction. By analytical analysis and a few numerical examples, the interplay effects of the external laser field and the Rashba spin--orbit coupling on the spin-polarized conductance for the system are demonstrated and discussed. It is found that the longitudinally-polarized laser field can adjust the spin polarization rate and produce some photon sideband resonances of the conductance for the system.     

Controllable Spin-Polarized Transport in a Three-Terminal Model

By means of the Keldysh Green's function method, we investigate the spin-polarized electron transport in a three-terminal device, which is composed of three normal metal leads and two serially-coupled quantum dots (QDs). The Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) is also considered in one of the QDs. We show that the spin-polarized charge current with arbitrary spin polarization can be obtained because of the quantum spin interference effect arising from the Rashba spin precession phase, and it can be modulated by the system parameters such as the applied external voltages, the RSOI strength, the QD levels, as well as the dot-lead coupling strengths. Moreover, a fully spin-polarized current or a pure spin current without any accompanying charge current can also be controlled to flow in the system. Our findings indicate that the proposed model can serve as an all-electrical spin device in spintronics field.     

Transport polygonal properties in a multi-terminal regular quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

<正>Transport properties in a multi-terminal regular polygonal quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit coupling(SOC) are investigated analytically using quantum networks and the transport matrix method.The results show that conductances remain at exactly the same values when the output leads are located at axisymmetric positions.However,for the nonaxisymmetrical case,there is a phase difference between the upper and lower arm,which leads to zero conductances appearing periodically.An isotropy of the conductance is destroyed by the Rashba SOC effect in the axisymmetric case. In addition,the position of zero conductance is regulated with the strength of the Rashba SOC.     

Spin current and its heat effect in a multichannel quantum wire with Rashba spinben orbit coupling

Using the perturbation method, we theoretically study the spin current and its heat effect in a multichannel quantum wire with Rashba spin—orbit coupling. The heat generated by the spin current is calculated. With the increase of the width of the quantum wire, the spin current and the heat generated both exhibit period oscillations with equal amplitudes. When the quantum-channel number is doubled, the oscillation periods of the spin current and of the heat generated both decrease by a factor of 2. For the spin current j_s,xy, the amplitude increases with the decrease of the quantum channel; while the amplitude of the spin current j_s,yx remains the same. Therefore we conclude that the effect of the quantum-channel number on the spin current j_s,xy is greater than that on the spin current j_s,yx. The strength of the Rashba spin—orbit coupling is tunable by the gate voltage, and the gate voltage can be varied experimentally, which implies a new method of detecting the spin current. In addition, we can control the amplitude and the oscillation period of the spin current by controlling the number of the quantum channels. All these characteristics of the spin current will be very important for detecting and controlling the spin current, and especially for designing new spintronic devices in the future.     

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.     

电-声子耦合强度对量子点系统噪声的影响

利用Lang-Firsov正则变换和Keldysh非平衡格林函数方法研究了低温下具有电子-声子相互作用的量子点系统的噪声。我们特别注意了电-声子耦合强度的变化对量子点系统噪声的影响。数值结果表明：随着电-声子耦合强度的增大,系统的噪声增大,同时微分噪声谱中会出现一系列的声子伴带峰,峰的高度和数目对电-声子耦合强度的变化非常敏感。我们也研究了系统的Fano因子,它显示系统噪声对肖特基(Schottky)公式的偏离。在高偏压区,Fano因子随着电-声子耦合强度的增大而增大。     

Manipulation of Persistent Spin Helix States by Weak External Magnetic Fields

We study theoretically the effect of weak external magnetic fields on persistent spin helix states in semi- conductor two-dimensional electron gases with both Rashba and linear-in-momentum Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling. We show that in the presence of weak external magnetic fields, some basic properties of a persistent spin helix state, including the dispersion relation between the decay time and the magnitude of the wavevector, the maximum decay time and the value of the characteristic magnitude of the wavevector at which the maximum decay time occurs, will all depend sensitively on the directions of applied external magnetic fields.     

Spin-dependent transport in four-terminal rings in the presence of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Spin dependent transport in one-dimensional four-terminal rings (FTRs) is investigated in the presence of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC). In the absence of the RSOC, the conductances as a function of the electron wave vector show resonant behavior for symmetrical configurations. For asymmetrical configurations, the conductances show peculiar zero-conductance resonances, and two kinds of conductance zeros have been found. In the presence of the RSOC, the original conductance zeros disappear as new conductance zeros are generated. Moreover, two kinds of symmetry relations have been found in the conductances, the spin dependent conductances and the spin polarizations. For the FTRs with axial or central symmetry, the phase-locking effect has been found in terminal 2, where there is no spin polarization. Under a weak magnetic field, the Zeeman term is treated by a perturbation, and it is found that the Zeeman effect is obvious for weak RSOC.     

电-声子耦合强度对量子点系统噪声的影响

利用Lang-Firsov正则变换和Keldysh非平衡格林函数方法研究了低温下具有电子-声子相互作用的量子点系统的噪声.我们特别注意了电-声子耦合强度的变化对量子点系统噪声的影响.数值结果表明:随着电-声子耦合强度的增大,系统的噪声增大,同时微分噪声谱中会出现一系列的声子伴带峰,峰的高度和数目对电-声子耦合强度的变化非常敏感.我们也研究了系统的Fano因子,它显示系统噪声对肖特基(Schottky)公式的偏离.在高偏压区,Fano因子随着电-声子耦合强度的增大而增大.     

Interfacial spin Hall current in a Josephson junction with Rashba spin—orbit coupling

We theoretically investigate the spin transport properties of the Cooper pairs in a conventional Josephson junction with Rashba spin-orbit coupling considered in one of the superconducting leads.It is found that an angle-resolved spin supercurrent flows through the junction and a nonzero interfacial spin Hall current driven by the superconducting phase difference also appears at the interface.The physical origin of this is that the Rashba spin-orbit coupling can induce a triplet order parameter in the s-wave superconductor.The interfacial spin Hall current dependences on the system parameters are also discussed.     

Resonant Charge Current in a Rashba Ring Induced by Spin-Dependent Potential

A on,dimensional ring subject to Rashba spin-orbit coupling is investigated. When it is attached to a lead with spin-dependent chemical potential, there will be charge current in the ring. The charge current response is resonantly maximized when the Fermi energy of the lead is equal to any energy level of the 1D ring. And if two probes are attached to the ring, the electric voltage between them creates sawtooth-like wave, which indicates the direction of the charge current. A ferromagnetic lead can also induce persistent charge current, which can be detected by magnetization intensity measurement.     

Persistent Spin Current in a Hard-Wall Confining Quantum Wire with Weak Dresselhaus Spin-Orbit Coupling

We investigate theoretically the spin current in a quantum wire with weak Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling connected to two normal conductors. Both the quantum wire and conductors are described by a hard-wall confining potential. Using the electron wave-functions in the quantum wire and a new definition of spin current, we have calculated the elements of linear spin current density j^Ts,xi and j^Ts,yi（i=x, y, z）. We find that the elements j^Ts,xx and j^Ts,yy have a antisymmetrical relation and the element j^Ts,yz has the same amount levelas j^Ts,xx and j^Ts,yy. We also find a net linear spin current density, which has peaks at the center of quantum wire. The net linear spin current can induce a linear electric field, which may imply a way of spin current detection.     

Influence of spin-orbit coupling induced by in-plane external electric field on the intrinsic spin-Hall effect in a Rashba two-dimensional electron gas

We study theoretically the influence of spin--orbit coupling induced by in-plane external electric field on the intrinsic spin-Hall effect in a two-dimensional electron gas with Rashba spin--orbit coupling. We show that, after such an influence is taken into account, the static intrinsic spin-Hall effect can be stabilized in a disordered Rashba two-dimensional electron gas, and the static intrinsic spin-Hall conductivity shall exhibit some interesting characteristics as conceived in some original theoretical proposals.     

A Scheme for Spin Manipulation in a Quantum Dot with Both Charge and Spin Bias

We propose a scheme for the effective polarization and manipulation of electron spin by using a quantum dot with both charge and spin bias. Using the equation of motion for Keldysh nonequilibrium Green function, we study the spin accumulation and polarization for the system. Through analytical analysis and a few numerical examples, it is demonstrated that fairly large spin accumulation and polarization can be produced due to the breakingsymmetry of the chemical potential for different electron spin in the leads. Moreover, the direction and the strength of the spin polarization can be conveniently controlled and tuned by varying the charge bias or the gate voltage.