Equilibrium spin currents in the Rashba medium

TL;DR

This paper investigates equilibrium spin currents in a 2D electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit interaction, revealing that inhomogeneities enable these currents to transport spin across regions, highlighting their physical significance.

Contribution

It demonstrates that weak inhomogeneities in Rashba media allow equilibrium spin currents to effectively transport spin, clarifying their physical role.

Findings

Equilibrium spin currents are constant in uniform Rashba media.

Inhomogeneities enable spin transport via equilibrium currents.

Spin can be transported from generation to absorption regions.

Abstract

We analyze equilibrium spin currents in a 2D electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit interaction (Rashba medium). In a uniform Rashba medium these currents are constant, and their ability to really transport spin is not evident. But even weak inhomogeneity of the Rashba medium allows to reveal that equilibrium spin currents can transport spin from areas where spin is produced to areas where spin is absorbed.