Transport through a band insulator with Rashba spin-orbit coupling: metal-insulator transition and spin-filtering effects

Thibaut Jonckheere (1) , George Japaridze (2) , Thierry Martin (1) , Roland Hayn (3)

1 CPT - Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR 6207
2 Andronikashvili Institute of Physics
3 IM2NP - Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence

We calculate the current-voltage characteristic of a one-dimensional band insulator with magnetic field and Rashba spin-orbit coupling which is connected to nonmagnetic leads. Without spin-orbit coupling we find a complete spin-filtering effect, meaning that the electric transport occurs in one spin channel only. For a large magnetic field which closes the band gap, we show that spin-orbit coupling leads to a transition from metallic to insulating behavior. The oscillations of the different spin-components of the current with the length of the transport channel are studied as well.

Mots clés: Electronic transport; Spin filterting; Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Domaines: Systèmes mésoscopiques et effet Hall quantique [cond-mat.mes-hall]

Thibaut Jonckheere, George Japaridze, Thierry Martin, Roland Hayn. Transport through a band insulator with Rashba spin-orbit coupling: metal-insulator transition and spin-filtering effects. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2010, 81, pp.165443. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.81.165443⟩. ⟨hal-00381501⟩