Non-linear charge currents and the planar Hall effect in quantum wells with Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit...

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Mechanics

Background:

• Two-dimensional electron systems (2DES) exhibit complex behaviors due to spin-orbit interactions (SOIs).
• Rashba and Dresselhaus SOIs significantly influence electron dynamics, particularly under external fields.
• Understanding non-linear charge transport is crucial for novel electronic device applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate non-linear charge currents in 2DES with both Rashba and Dresselhaus SOIs.
• To investigate the influence of in-plane electric and magnetic fields on these currents.
• To analyze the dependence of currents on chemical potential and spin-orbit coupling strengths.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a semi-classical approximation to derive a second-order correction to the particle distribution function, δf(2).
• Employed a rotated coordinate system to simplify the analysis of effective couplings (α±β).
• Calculated charge currents as a function of electric and magnetic field configurations and chemical potential.

Main Results:

• Non-linear charge currents, quadratic in the electric field, were found to exist for all chemical potential values.
• Currents perpendicular to the magnetic field are proportional to (α±β) when E⊥B.
• Currents are proportional to (α±β)²/(α∓β) when E∥B, independent of other SOIs.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive calculation of non-linear charge currents in 2DES with combined Rashba and Dresselhaus SOIs.
• The derived current dependencies offer a theoretical framework for experimental verification and device design.
• The findings highlight the significant role of SOIs in tailoring electronic transport properties.