Photon-assisted spin transport in a two-dimensional electron gas

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electromagnetic radiation can induce a dynamic gap in a two-dimensional electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit coupling, enabling control of spin-polarized currents and magnetoresistance for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the creation of a non-equilibrium dynamic gap via resonant EF interaction, leading to coherent spin-flip processes and spin valve effects in 2D electron gases.

Findings

Resonant EF induces a dynamic gap between spin sub-bands.

Dynamic gap causes spin-polarized currents and magnetoresistance.

Control of spin transport via radiation parameters.

Abstract

We study spin-dependent transport in a two-dimensional electron gas subject to an external step-like potential $V(x)$ and irradiated by an electromagnetic field (EF). In the absence of EF the electronic spectrum splits into spin sub-bands originating from the "Rashba" spin-orbit coupling. We show that the resonant interaction of propagating electrons with the component EF parallel to the barrier induces a \textit{% non-equilibrium dynamic gap} $(2\Delta_{R})$ between the spin sub-bands. Existence of this gap results in coherent spin-flip processes that lead to a spin-polarized current and a large magnetoresistance, i.e the spin valve effect. These effects may be used for controlling spin transport in semiconducting nanostructures, e.g. spin transistors, spin-blockade devices etc., by variation of the intensity S and frequency $\omega $ of the external radiation.