Dresden 2009 – scientific programme
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TT: Fachverband Tiefe Temperaturen
TT 37: Transport: Nanoelectronics II - Spintronics and Magnetotransport
TT 37.9: Talk
Thursday, March 26, 2009, 12:00–12:15, HSZ 105
Spin-orbit ratchet mechanism: correlation between dissipation and magnetic field effects — •Sergey Smirnov1, Dario Bercioux2, Milena Grifoni1, and Klaus Richter1 — 1Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany — 2Physikalisches Institut and Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, Universität Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
We investigate ratchet-like behavior of electron spin transport in a periodic quasi-one-dimensional system with Rashba spin-orbit interaction [1]. The orbital longitudinal electron degree of freedom is coupled to orbital degrees of freedom of an external environment which is the source of dissipation. The spin ratchet effect appears when the periodic potential is asymmetric and the electron orbital degrees of freedom are coupled [2]. We additionally apply an in-plane magnetic field which is transverse to the transport direction. The magnetic field does not break the existence conditions of the spin ratchet effect. However, it has an impact on the spin current when the effect is present. Theoretically it is interesting that the magnetic field is correlated only with the friction part of the dissipation and not with the noise part [3]. What is important for applications is that in particular the magnetic field can both reduce and enhance the spin current, produce the spin current reversals and affect the dependence on the electric field driving.
[1] S. Smirnov, et al., EPL 80, 27003 (2007).
[2] S. Smirnov, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 230601 (2008).
[3] S. Smirnov, et al., arXiv:0809.1296v1 (accepted in Physical Review B).