Dresden 2003 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

HL: Halbleiterphysik

HL 32: Spinabh
ängiger Transport II

HL 32.4: Talk

Wednesday, March 26, 2003, 15:15–15:30, POT/81

Persistent current in rings with Rashba spin-orbit coupling — •Janine Splettstößer, Ulrich Zülicke, and Michele Governale — Institut für Theoretische Festkörperphysik, Universität Karlsruhe

The study of electronic properties at the nanoscale has attracted a lot of interest recently due to the wealth of effects introduced by quantum coherence. One example are persistent currents flowing in isolated nanorings placed in an external magnetic flux. We have investigated the effect of Rashba spin-orbit coupling on persistent currents, extending previous studies that pointed out the existence of a spin-orbit-induced Berry phase. In particular, we find signatures of spin-orbit coupling in the dependence of the persistent current on the applied magnetic flux. This opens up possibilities for measurements of the spin-orbit Berry phase, circumventing complications due to coupling to external leads.