Aharonov-Bohm Physics with Spin II: Spin-Flip Effects in Two-dimensional Ballistic Systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how inhomogeneous magnetic fields influence spin-dependent conductance in two-dimensional ballistic systems, introducing a numerical method to analyze spin-flip effects and control mechanisms via Aharonov-Bohm fluxes.

Contribution

It presents a generalized recursive Green function technique for spin-dependent transport and investigates spin-flip effects and spin control in quantum wires and Aharonov-Bohm geometries.

Findings

Numerical results confirm the validity of a spin switch mechanism.

The method effectively models spin-flip effects in 2D ballistic systems.

Comparison with transfer-matrix models validates the approach.

Abstract

We study spin effects in the magneto-conductance of ballistic mesoscopic systems subject to inhomogeneous magnetic fields. We present a numerical approach to the spin-dependent Landauer conductance which generalizes recursive Green function techniques to the case with spin. Based on this method we address spin-flip effects in quantum transport of spin-polarized and -unpolarized electrons through quantum wires and various two-dimensional Aharonov-Bohm geometries. In particular, we investigate the range of validity of a spin switch mechanism recently found which allows for controlling spins indirectly via Aharonov-Bohm fluxes. Our numerical results are compared to a transfer-matrix model for one-dimensional ring structures presented in the first paper (Hentschel et al., submitted to Phys. Rev. B) of this series.