Steady states of spin distributions in the presence of spin-orbit interactions

被引:27
作者
Culcer, Dimitrie [1 ,2 ]
Winkler, R. [1 ,2 ]
机构
[1] Argonne Natl Lab, Adv Photon Source, Argonne, IL 60439 USA
[2] No Illinois Univ, De Kalb, IL 60115 USA
来源
PHYSICAL REVIEW B | 2007年 / 76卷 / 24期
关键词
D O I
10.1103/PhysRevB.76.245322
中图分类号
T [工业技术];
学科分类号
08 ;
摘要
In the presence of spin-orbit interactions, the steady state established for spin distributions in an electric field is qualitatively different from the steady state for charge distributions. This is primarily because the steady state established for spin distributions involves spin precession due to spin-orbit coupling. We demonstrate in this work that the spin density matrix in an external electric field acquires two corrections with different dependencies on the characteristic momentum-scattering time. One part is associated with conserved spins, diverges in the clean limit, and is responsible for the establishment of a steady-state spin density in electric fields. Another part is associated with precessing spins, is finite in the clean limit, and is responsible for the establishment of spin currents in electric fields. Scattering between these distributions has important consequences for spin dynamics and spin-related effects, in general, and explains some recent puzzling observations, which are captured by our unified theory.
引用
收藏
页数:10
相关论文
共 68 条
[1]   Intrinsic spin Hall edges [J].
Adagideli, I ;
Bauer, GEW .
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 2005, 95 (25)
[2]  
Aronov A. G., 1991, Soviet Physics - JETP, V73, P537
[3]   Spin relaxation anisotropy in two-dimensional semiconductor systems [J].
Averkiev, NS ;
Golub, LE ;
Willander, M .
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER, 2002, 14 (12) :R271-R283
[4]  
Bleibaum O, 2006, PHYS REV B, V74, DOI [10.1103/PhysRevB.74.195330, 10.1103/PhysRec74.195330]
[5]  
Bychkov Y. A., 1984, JETP LETT, V39, P66
[6]   Observation of electric current induced by optically injected spin current [J].
Cui, Xiao-Dong ;
Shen, Shun-Qing ;
Li, Jian ;
Ji, Yang ;
Ge, Weikun ;
Zhang, Fu-Chun .
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 2007, 90 (24)
[7]   Electrical generation of spin in crystals with reduced symmetry [J].
Culcer, D ;
Yao, Y ;
MacDonald, AH ;
Niu, Q .
PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 2005, 72 (04)
[8]   Generation of spin currents and spin densities in systems with reduced symmetry [J].
Culcer, Dimitrie ;
Winkler, R. .
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 2007, 99 (22)
[9]  
D'yakonov M. I., 1971, Zhurnal Eksperimental'noi i Teoreticheskoi Fiziki, V60, P1954
[10]   Spin Hall-effect in two-dimensional hopping systems -: art. no. 205327 [J].
Damker, T ;
Böttger, H ;
Bryksin, VV .
PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 2004, 69 (20) :205327-1