Spin Hall Effect in p-type Semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper discusses the intrinsic spin Hall effect in p-type semiconductors caused by Berry phase effects, highlighting its topological origin and independence from disorder scattering.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that the spin Hall effect can arise intrinsically from band topology in p-type semiconductors without disorder dependence.

Findings

The spin Hall effect is driven by Berry phase in momentum space.

The effect is intrinsic and topologically rooted.

It can occur without disorder scattering.

Abstract

The spin Hall effect is a phenomenon of inducing spin current by an external electric field. We recently proposed that this effect can occur in p-type semiconductors without relying upon any disorder scattering [S. Murakami et al., Science 301, 1348 (2003)]. This intrinsic effect is due to the ``Berry phase in momentum space'', representing topological structure of the Bloch band structure. We explain how the Berry phase brings about the spin Hall effect, and review several interesting aspects of this effect