Acoustically induced spin-orbit interactions revealed by two-dimensional imaging of spin transport in GaAs

Magneto-optic Kerr microscopy was employed to investigate the spin-orbit interactions of electrons traveling in semiconductor quantum wells using surface acoustic waves (SAWs). Two-dimensional images of the spin flow induced by SAWs exhibit anisotropic spin precession behaviors caused by the coexist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2011-05, Vol.106 (21), p.216602-216602, Article 216602
Main Authors: Sanada, H, Sogawa, T, Gotoh, H, Onomitsu, K, Kohda, M, Nitta, J, Santos, P V
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Magneto-optic Kerr microscopy was employed to investigate the spin-orbit interactions of electrons traveling in semiconductor quantum wells using surface acoustic waves (SAWs). Two-dimensional images of the spin flow induced by SAWs exhibit anisotropic spin precession behaviors caused by the coexistence of different types of spin-orbit interactions. The dependence of spin-orbit effective magnetic fields on SAW intensity indicates the existence of acoustically controllable spin-orbit interactions resulting from the strain and Rashba contributions induced by the SAWs.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.106.216602