Electron spin precession in semiconductor quantum wires with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

TL;DR

This paper investigates how Rashba spin-orbit coupling affects electron spin precession in semiconductor quantum wires, revealing complex multi-frequency spin dynamics due to finite width effects.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of spin evolution in finite-width quantum wires, highlighting the transition from pure precession to complex spin behavior.

Findings

Pure spin precession is lost in finite-width wires.

Multiple frequencies characterize spin evolution.

Spin motion becomes nonrigid in 2D wires.

Abstract

The influence of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling on the electron spin dynamics is investigated for a ballistic semiconductor quantum wire with a finite width. We monitor the spin evolution using the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. The pure spin precession characteristic of the 1D limit is lost in a 2D wire with a finite lateral width. In general, the time evolution in the latter case is characterized by several frequencies and a nonrigid spin motion.