Theory of Edge States in Systems with Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of edge states in a 2D electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit coupling and a magnetic field, revealing hybrid states with distinct cyclotron radii and analyzing their spectrum and spin structure.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis of edge states in systems with Rashba spin-orbit coupling, including a semiclassical interpretation of their spectrum and spin properties.

Findings

Edge states exhibit hybridization due to surface reflection.

Two branches of states with different cyclotron radii coexist.

Semiclassical picture explains the spectrum and spin structure.

Abstract

We study the edge states in a two dimensional electron gas with a transverse magnetic field and Rashba spin-orbit coupling. In the bulk, the interplay between the external field perpendicular to the gas plane and the spin-orbit coupling leads to two branches of states that, within the same energy window, have different cyclotron radii. For the edge states, surface reflection generates hybrid states with the two cyclotron radii. We analyze the spectrum and spin structure of these states and present a semiclassical picture of them.