Spontaneous Spin-Polarization of Ballistic Electrons in Single Mode Quantum Wires due to Spin-Splitting

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that single-mode quantum wires with spin splitting can act as active spin polarizers, enabling control over electron spin states and inducing magnetization in the electron gas.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism for spin polarization in quantum wires due to spin-splitting, with potential applications in spintronics.

Findings

Hot electrons in one spin subband pass with weak scattering.

Electrons in the opposite subband convert into the other, creating spin polarization.

Passing electrons can induce steady state magnetization in the electron gas.

Abstract

We show that a quantum wire device with spin splitting can work as an active spin polarizer. Hot electrons in one `spin' subband (e.g. `spin-up') may pass such a device with weak electron pair scattering, while electrons in the opposite subband (`spin-down') may have high conversion probability into the `spin-up' subband, resulting in spin polarization of a hot electron beam. Under different circumstances a hot electron beam passing through a single mode quantum wire may induce a steady state magnetization of the background electron gas in a section of the wire weakly coupled to the environment.