Spin polarization induced by decoherence in a tunneling one-dimensional Rashba model

Varela, Solmar; Peralta, Mayra; Mujica, Vladimiro; Berche, Bertrand; Medina, Ernesto

doi:10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044

SciPost Physics Core

Spin polarization induced by decoherence in a tunneling one-dimensional Rashba model

Solmar Varela, Mayra Peralta, Vladimiro Mujica, Bertrand Berche, Ernesto Medina

SciPost Phys. Core 6, 044 (2023) · published 19 June 2023

doi: 10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044
pdf
Submissions/Reports

Abstract

Basic questions on the nature of spin polarization in two terminal systems and the way in which decoherence breaks Time-Reversal Symmetry (TRS) are analyzed. We exactly solve several one-dimensional models of tunneling electrons and show the interplay of spin precession and decay of the wavefunction in either a $U(1)$ magnetic field or an effective Spin-Orbit (SO) magnetic field. Spin polarization is clearly identified as the emergence of a spin component parallel to either magnetic field. We show that Onsager's reciprocity is fulfilled when time reversal symmetry is present and no spin polarization arises, no matter the barrier parameters or the SO strength. Introducing a Büttiker's decoherence probe, that preserves unitarity of time evolution, we show that breaking of TRS results in a strong spin polarization for realistic SO, and barrier strengths. We discuss the significance of these results as a very general scenario for the onset of the Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity effect (CISS).

TY  - JOUR
PB  - SciPost Foundation
DO  - 10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044
TI  - Spin polarization induced by decoherence in a tunneling one-dimensional Rashba model
PY  - 2023/06/19
UR  - https://scipost.org/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044
JF  - SciPost Physics Core
JA  - SciPost Phys. Core
VL  - 6
IS  - 2
SP  - 044
A1  - Varela, Solmar
AU  - Peralta, Mayra
AU  - Mujica, Vladimiro
AU  - Berche, Bertrand
AU  - Medina, Ernesto
AB  - Basic questions on the nature of spin polarization in two terminal systems and the way in which decoherence breaks Time-Reversal Symmetry (TRS) are analyzed. We exactly solve several one-dimensional models of tunneling electrons and show the interplay of spin precession and decay of the wavefunction in either a $U(1)$ magnetic field or an effective Spin-Orbit (SO) magnetic field. Spin polarization is clearly identified as the emergence of a spin component parallel to either magnetic field. We show that Onsager's reciprocity is fulfilled when time reversal symmetry is present and no spin polarization arises, no matter the barrier parameters or the SO strength. Introducing a Büttiker's decoherence probe, that preserves unitarity of time evolution, we show that breaking of TRS results in a strong spin polarization for realistic SO, and barrier strengths. We discuss the significance of these results as a very general scenario for the onset of the Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity effect (CISS).
ER  -

@Article{10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044,
	title={{Spin polarization induced by decoherence in a tunneling one-dimensional Rashba model}},
	author={Solmar Varela and Mayra Peralta and Vladimiro Mujica and Bertrand Berche and Ernesto Medina},
	journal={SciPost Phys. Core},
	volume={6},
	pages={044},
	year={2023},
	publisher={SciPost},
	doi={10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044},
	url={https://scipost.org/10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.6.2.044},
}

Cited by 4

Authors / Affiliations: mappings to Contributors and Organizations

See all Organizations.

¹ Solmar Varela,
¹ Mayra Peralta,
² Vladimiro Mujica,
³ Bertrand Berche,
⁴ Ernesto Medina

Funders for the research work leading to this publication

Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science (through Organization: Basque Foundation for Science / Ikerbasque)
Technische Universität Dresden / Dresden University of Technology [TUD]
Universidad San Francisco de Quito [USFQ]
W. M. Keck Foundation