Electron density effect on spin-orbit interaction in [001] GaAs quantum wells

• Published in: Physical review. B 2021-05, Vol.103 (19), p.1, Article 195306
• Main Authors: Alekseev, P. S., Nestoklon, M. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Charge density; Electric fields; Electron density; Electron spin; Electrons; Quantum wells; Spin-orbit interactions; Symmetry
• ISSN: 2469-9950; 2469-9969
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.103.195306

The spin-orbit interaction of two-dimensional (2D) electrons in semiconductor quantum wells gives rise to a variety of interesting transport and optical spin-dependent effects. In the GaAs/AlGaAs type heterosystems, this interaction consists of the isotropic Bychkov-Rashba term, which is absent in symmetric wells, and the anisotropic Dresselhaus term, reflecting the lattice symmetry. It is well-known that the first term can be controlled by electric fields in the growth direction: external or internal, induced by a charge density of 2D electrons. In this work we reveal that the 2D electron charge can substantially affect also the Dresselhaus interaction in symmetric quantum wells. Within the one-band electron Hamiltonian containing, together with the bulk Dresselhaus interaction, the two contributions to the Dresselhaus term from the quantum well interfaces, we show that the internal electric field from the 2D electron charge density can substantially renormalize the anisotropic spin-orbit interaction of 2D electrons. This effect may be important in quantitative studies of spin-dependent phenomena in quantum wells.