Fluctuations of spin transport through chaotic quantum dots with spin-orbit coupling

Jacob J. Krich

Published 2009-09-13Version 1

As devices to control spin currents using the spin-orbit interaction are proposed and implemented, it is important to understand the fluctuations that spin-orbit coupling can impose on transmission through a quantum dot. Using random matrix theory, we estimate the typical scale of transmitted charge and spin currents when a spin current is injected into a chaotic quantum dot with strong spin-orbit coupling. These results have implications for the functioning of the spin transistor proposed by Schliemann, Egues, and Loss. We use a density matrix formalism appropriate for treating arbitrary input currents and indicate its connections to the widely used spin-conductance picture. We further consider the case of currents entangled between two leads, finding larger fluctuations.