Spin Accumulation and Equilibrium Currents at the Edge of 2DEGs with Spin-Orbit Coupling

Abstract

We show that in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) the interplay between the Rashba spin-orbit coupling and a potential barrier (eg., the sample edge) generates interesting spin effects. In the presence of an external charge current, a spin accumulation is built up near the barrier while in equilibrium there is an inhomogeneous spin current which is localized at the barrier and flows parallel to it. When an in-plane magnetic field perpendicular to the barrier is applied, the system also develops an inhomogeneous charge current density. These effects originate purely from the structure of the eigenstates near the boundary.