Three-terminal spin/charge current router

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Electronics

Background:

• Topological insulators offer unique properties for electronic and spintronic devices due to protected edge states.
• Silicene nanoribbons (SiNRs) are promising materials for next-generation electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate novel spin and charge current routers based on silicene-like nanoribbons (SiNRs).
• To demonstrate the control and separation of spin-polarized currents using topological edge states.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the tight-binding model and non-equilibrium Green's function theory.
• Investigated three types of routers: spin current shunter, spin filter, and charge current switcher.
• Employed the Landauer-Büttiker formula for current-voltage characteristics.

Main Results:

• Successfully designed routers that separate spin-up and spin-down currents, filter spin-polarized electrons, and switch charge currents.
• Demonstrated that small Rashba spin-orbit coupling does not degrade filtering properties.
• Analyzed local current distribution and transmittance reciprocity relations.

Conclusions:

• Proposed spin/charge current routers based on zigzag SiNRs exhibit controllable current routing capabilities.
• These devices show potential for future spintronic designs requiring precise current separation and switching.
• The helical edge states of ZSiNRs are crucial for the functionality of these routers.