Generation of current vortex by spin current in Rashba systems

F Lange, S Ejima, J Fujimoto, T Shirakawa, H Fehske… - Physical Review Letters, 2021 - APS
Physical Review Letters, 2021APS
Employing unbiased large-scale time-dependent density-matrix renormalization-group
simulations, we demonstrate the generation of a charge-current vortex via spin injection in
the Rashba system. The spin current is polarized perpendicular to the system plane and
injected from an attached antiferromagnetic spin chain. We discuss the conversion between
spin and orbital angular momentum in the current vortex that occurs because of the
conservation of the total angular momentum and the spin-orbit interaction. This is in contrast …
Employing unbiased large-scale time-dependent density-matrix renormalization-group simulations, we demonstrate the generation of a charge-current vortex via spin injection in the Rashba system. The spin current is polarized perpendicular to the system plane and injected from an attached antiferromagnetic spin chain. We discuss the conversion between spin and orbital angular momentum in the current vortex that occurs because of the conservation of the total angular momentum and the spin-orbit interaction. This is in contrast to the spin Hall effect, in which the angular-momentum conservation is violated. Finally, we predict the electromagnetic field that accompanies the vortex with regard to possible future experiments.
American Physical Society