{
  "id": "1002.2904",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2010-02-15T18:19:26.000Z",
  "updated": "2010-02-15T18:19:26.000Z",
  "title": "Fingerprint of Different Spin-Orbit Terms for Spin Transport in HgTe Quantum Wells",
  "authors": [
    "D. G. Rothe",
    "R. W. Reinthaler",
    "C. -X. Liu",
    "L. W. Molenkamp",
    "S. -C. Zhang",
    "E. M. Hankiewicz"
  ],
  "comment": "23 pages, 4 figures, submitted to special NJP issue \"Focus on topological insulators\"",
  "journal": "New J. Phys. 12 065012 (2010)",
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall",
    "cond-mat.mtrl-sci"
  ],
  "abstract": "Using $\\vec{k}$$\\cdot$$\\vec{p}$ theory, we derive an effective four band model describing the physics of the typical two-dimensional topological insulator (HgTe/CdTe quantum well) in the presence of out-of-plane in z-direction inversion breaking and in-plane confining potentials. We find that up to third order in perturbation theory, only the inversion breaking potential generates new elements to the four band Hamiltonian that are off-diagonal in spin space. When this new effective Hamiltonian is folded into an effective two band model for the conduction (electron) or valence (heavy hole) bands, two competing terms appear: (1) a Rashba spin-orbit interaction originating from inversion breaking potential in z-direction and (2) an in-plane Pauli term as a consequence of the in-plane confining potential. Spin transport in the conduction band is further analysed within the Landauer-B\\\"uttiker formalism. We find that for asymmetrically doped HgTe quantum wells, the behaviour of the spin-Hall conductance is dominated by the Rashba term.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2010-02-15T18:19:26.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "spin transport",
      "spin-orbit terms",
      "doped hgte quantum wells",
      "in-plane confining potential",
      "inversion breaking potential"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "doi": "10.1088/1367-2630/12/6/065012",
      "journal": "New Journal of Physics",
      "year": 2010,
      "month": "Jun",
      "volume": 12,
      "number": 6,
      "pages": "065012"
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 23,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "adsabs": "2010NJPh...12f5012R"
    }
  }
}