Spin Splitter Based on Magnetically Confined Semiconductor Microstructure Modulated by Spin-Orbit Coupling

We report a theoretical investigation on Goose-Hanchen (GH) effect for spin electrons across a magnetically confined GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs microstructure modulated by spin-orbit coupling [(SOC), including Rashba and Dresselhaus types]. An intrinsic symmetry in the device is broken by SOC, which gives rise to a considerable spin polarization effect in GH shifts of electrons. Both magnitude and direction of spin polarization can be manipulated by Rashba or Dresselhaus SOC, i.e., interfacial confining electric field or strain engineering. Based on such a semiconductor microstructure, a controllable spatial spin splitter can be proposed for spintronics applications.