Spin Injection in Quantum Wells with Spatially Dependent Rashba Interaction

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework for spin injection in semiconductor quantum wells with spatially varying Rashba spin-orbit interaction, highlighting conditions for effective spin transport driven by electric fields.

Contribution

It derives generalized spin diffusion equations and boundary conditions for regions with different spin-orbit couplings, advancing understanding of spin injection mechanisms.

Findings

Spin injection occurs when electric field is perpendicular to the boundary.

Spin injection depends on the mean free path variation when electric field is parallel.

The results align with recent theoretical work on spin transport boundaries.

Abstract

We consider Rashba spin-orbit effects on spin transport driven by an electric field in semiconductor quantum wells. We derive spin diffusion equations that are valid when the mean free path and the Rashba spin-orbit interaction vary on length scales larger than the mean free path in the weak spin-orbit coupling limit. From these general diffusion equations, we derive boundary conditions between regions of different spin-orbit couplings. We show that spin injection is feasible when the electric field is perpendicular to the boundary between two regions. When the electric field is parallel to the boundary, spin injection only occurs when the mean free path changes within the boundary, in agreement with the recent work by Tserkovnyak et al. [cond-mat/0610190].