Anisotropic current-induced spin accumulation in the two-dimensional electron gas with spin-orbit coupling

TL;DR

This paper studies how spin accumulation in a 2D electron gas with spin-orbit coupling responds anisotropically to electric fields, revealing differences from previous assumptions about charge conductivity.

Contribution

It provides an exact solution showing anisotropic spin response in 2D electron gases with Rashba and Dresselhaus coupling, challenging prior beliefs about isotropic charge conductivity.

Findings

Spin response is highly anisotropic to in-plane electric fields.

Charge conductivity remains isotropic, contrary to earlier claims.

Exact Boltzmann equation solution clarifies spin-charge response behavior.

Abstract

We investigate the magnetoelectric (or inverse spin-galvanic) effect in the two dimensional electron gases with both Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling using an exact solution of the Boltzmann equation for electron spin and momentum. The spin response to an in-plane electric field turns out to be highly anisotropic while the usual charge conductivity remains isotropic, contrary to earlier statements.