Abstract
We demonstrate the theoretical possibility of obtaining a pure spin current in a 1D ring with spin-orbit interaction by irradiation with a nonadiabatic, two-component terahertz laser pulse, whose spatial asymmetry is reflected by an internal phase difference . The solutions of the equation of motion for the density operator are obtained for a spin-orbit coupling linear in the electron momentum (Rashba) and they are used to calculate the time-dependent charge and spin currents. We find that there are critical values of at which the charge current disappears, while the spin current reaches a maximum or a minimum value.
- Received 14 February 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.155427
©2011 American Physical Society