Gap-mediated magnetization of a pseudo-one-dimensional system with a spin-orbit interaction

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that applying a voltage bias to a pseudo-one-dimensional electron gas with spin-orbit interaction induces magnetization through gap-mediated mechanisms, distinct from conventional spin accumulation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism of magnetization in one-dimensional systems driven by spin-orbit interaction and voltage bias, differing from known two-dimensional spin accumulation effects.

Findings

Magnetization occurs when the Fermi level is in the spin-orbit induced energy gap.

Magnetization indicates the presence of spin-carrying currents.

The mechanism differs fundamentally from two-dimensional spin accumulation phenomena.

Abstract

We argue that a pseudo-one-dimensional electron gas is magnetized when a voltage bias is applied with the Fermi level tuned to be in the energy gap generated by a spin-orbit interaction. The magnetization is an indication of spin-carrying currents due to the spin-orbit interaction. The origin of the magnetization, however, is essentially different from the "spin accumulation" in two-dimensional systems with spin-orbit interactions.