Spin-orbit coupling in bulk GaAs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the spin-orbit coupling across the entire Brillouin zone in GaAs using tight-binding models, providing detailed spin splitting data crucial for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive analysis of spin-orbit coupling in GaAs with tight-binding models, including coefficients in L and X valleys, advancing understanding of spin dynamics.

Findings

Spin splitting in the Γ-valley matches experimental data.

Coefficients of spin splitting in L and X valleys are explicitly provided.

Results aid in spintronic device development and spin dynamics research.

Abstract

We study the spin-orbit coupling in the whole Brillouin zone for GaAs using both the $sp^3s^{\ast}d^5$ and $sp^3s^{\ast}$ nearest-neighbor tight-binding models. In the $\Gamma$-valley, the spin splitting obtained is in good agreement with experimental data. We then further explicitly present the coefficients of the spin splitting in GaAs $L$ and $X$ valleys. These results are important to the realization of spintronic device and the investigation of spin dynamics far away from equilibrium.