Abstract We investigate theoretically the spin-dependent electron transport in a straight waveguide with Rashba spin--orbit coupling (SOC) under the irradiation of a transversely polarized electromagnetic (EM) field. Spin-dependent electron conductance and spin polarization are calculated as functions of the emitting energy of electrons or the strength of the EM field by adopting the mode matching approach. It is shown that the spin polarization can be manipulated by external parameters when the strength of Rashba SOC is strong. Furthermore, a sharp step structure is found to exist in the total electron conductance. These results can be understood by the nontrivial Rashba subbands intermixing and the electron intersubband transition when a finite-range transversely polarized EM field irradiates a straight waveguide.
Received: 08 March 2009
Revised: 19 April 2009
Accepted manuscript online:
PACS:
71.70.Ej
(Spin-orbit coupling, Zeeman and Stark splitting, Jahn-Teller effect)
(III-V semiconductor-to-semiconductor contacts, p-n junctions, and heterojunctions)
Fund: Project supported by the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 10774112), and by the
Science Foundation for Young Scientists of Jiangxi Agricultural
University, China (Grant No 2219).
Cite this article:
Xiao Xian-Bo(肖贤波),Li Xiao-Mao(李小毛), and Chen Yu-Guang(陈宇光) Spin-dependent electron transport of a waveguide with Rashba spin--orbit coupling in an electromagnetic field 2009 Chin. Phys. B 18 5462
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