{
  "id": "1205.2592",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2012-05-11T18:09:34.000Z",
  "updated": "2012-05-11T18:09:34.000Z",
  "title": "Optical effects of spin currents in semiconductors",
  "authors": [
    "Jing Wang",
    "Sheng-Nan Ji",
    "Bang-Fen Zhu",
    "Ren-Bao Liu"
  ],
  "comment": "16 pages, 7 figs",
  "journal": "Phys. Rev. B 86, 045215 (2012)",
  "doi": "10.1103/PhysRevB.86.045215",
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall",
    "physics.optics"
  ],
  "abstract": "A spin current has novel linear and second-order nonlinear optical effects due to its symmetry properties. With the symmetry analysis and the eight-band microscopic calculation we have systematically investigated the interaction between a spin current and a polarized light beam (or the \"photon spin current\") in direct-gap semiconductors. This interaction is rooted in the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling in valence bands and does not rely on the Rashba or Dresselhaus effect. The light-spin current interaction results in an optical birefringence effect of the spin current. The symmetry analysis indicates that in a semiconductor with inversion symmetry, the linear birefringence effect vanishes and only the circular birefringence effect exists. The circular birefringence effect is similar to the Faraday rotation in magneto-optics but involves no net magnetization nor breaking the time-reversal symmetry. Moreover, a spin current can induce the second-order nonlinear optical processes due to the inversion-symmetry breaking. These findings form a basis of measuring a pure spin current where and when it flows with the standard optical spectroscopy, which may provide a toolbox to explore a wealth of physics connecting the spintronics and photonics.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2012-05-11T18:09:34.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "subjects": [
      "72.25.Dc",
      "78.20.Ls",
      "42.65.An",
      "78.30.Fs"
    ],
    "keywords": [
      "optical effects",
      "semiconductor",
      "circular birefringence effect",
      "light-spin current interaction results",
      "symmetry analysis"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "publisher": "APS",
      "journal": "Physical Review B",
      "year": 2012,
      "month": "Jul",
      "volume": 86,
      "number": 4,
      "pages": "045215"
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 16,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "adsabs": "2012PhRvB..86d5215W"
    }
  }
}