Rashba spin-orbit coupling and spin precession in carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how Rashba spin-orbit coupling influences spin transport in carbon nanotubes, highlighting conditions for observing Datta-Das oscillations despite multiple subbands.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis of Rashba spin-orbit effects on spin-dependent transport in multi-subband carbon nanotubes, identifying conditions for oscillatory behavior.

Findings

Potential for Datta-Das oscillations in nanotubes with tunable subbands

Analysis of band structure enabling spin precession effects

Conditions for observing spin oscillations despite multiple bands

Abstract

The Rashba spin-orbit coupling in carbon nanotubes and its effect on spin-dependent transport properties are analyzed theoretically. We focus on clean non-interacting nanotubes with tunable number of subbands $N$. The peculiar band structure is shown to allow in principle for Datta-Das oscillatory behavior in the tunneling magnetoresistance as a function of gate voltage, despite the presence of multiple bands. We discuss the conditions for observing Datta-Das oscillations in carbon nanotubes.