{
  "id": "0908.1080",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2009-08-07T15:56:46.000Z",
  "updated": "2009-08-07T15:56:46.000Z",
  "title": "Lateral spin-orbit interaction and spin polarization in quantum point contacts",
  "authors": [
    "Anh T. Ngo",
    "P. Debray",
    "Sergio Ulloa"
  ],
  "comment": "Summited to PRB (2009)",
  "journal": "Phys. Rev. B 81, 115328 (2010)",
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall"
  ],
  "abstract": "We study ballistic transport through semiconductor quantum point contact systems under different confinement geometries and applied fields. In particular, we investigate how the {\\em lateral} spin-orbit coupling, introduced by asymmetric lateral confinement potentials, affects the spin polarization of the current. We find that even in the absence of external magnetic fields, a variable {\\em non-zero spin polarization} can be obtained by controlling the asymmetric shape of the confinement potential. These results suggest a new approach to produce spin polarized electron sources and we study the dependence of this phenomenon on structural parameters and applied magnetic fields. This asymmetry-induced polarization provides also a plausible explanation of our recent observations of a 0.5 conductance plateau (in units of $2e^2/h$) in quantum point contacts made on InAs quantum-well structures. Although our estimates of the required spin-orbit interaction strength in these systems do not support this explanation, they likely play a role in the effects enhanced by electron-electron interactions.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2009-08-07T15:56:46.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "subjects": [
      "73.23.Ad",
      "71.70.Ej",
      "72.25.-b",
      "72.10.-d"
    ],
    "keywords": [
      "spin polarization",
      "lateral spin-orbit interaction",
      "semiconductor quantum point contact systems",
      "produce spin polarized electron sources",
      "confinement potential"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "publisher": "APS",
      "journal": "Physical Review B",
      "doi": "10.1103/PhysRevB.81.115328",
      "year": 2010,
      "month": "Mar",
      "volume": 81,
      "number": 11,
      "pages": 115328
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "adsabs": "2010PhRvB..81k5328N"
    }
  }
}