Charge transport by modulating spin-orbit gauge fields for quasi-onedimensional holes

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how adiabatic changes in spin splitting induce charge currents in quasi-one-dimensional hole systems, highlighting their potential for spintronic device applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates that hole systems exhibit significantly larger charge currents from spin-dependent electromotive forces compared to electrons, with favorable experimental tunability.

Findings

Charge current magnitude is two orders larger in holes than in electrons.

The charge current depends parametrically on system variables, facilitating experimental control.

Hole structures are promising for devices that pump spin currents via time-varying electric fields.

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of ac charge transport arising from adiabatic temporal variation of zero-field spin splitting in a quasi-onedimensional hole system (realized, e.g., in a quantum wire or point contact). As in conduction-electron systems, part of the current results from spin-dependent electromotive forces. We find that the magnitude of this current contribution is two orders of magnitude larger for holes and exhibits parametric dependences that make it more easily accessible experimentally. Our results suggest hole structures to be good candidates for realizing devices where spin currents are pumped by time-varying electric fields.