Strong tuning of Rashba spin-orbit interaction in single InAs nanowires

Nano Lett. 2012 Jun 13;12(6):3263-7. doi: 10.1021/nl301325h. Epub 2012 May 4.

Abstract

A key concept in the emerging field of spintronics is the gate voltage or electric field control of spin precession via the effective magnetic field generated by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. Here, we demonstrate the generation and tuning of electric field induced Rashba spin-orbit interaction in InAs nanowires where a strong electric field is created by either a double gate or a solid electrolyte surrounding gate. In particular, the electrolyte gating enables 6-fold tuning of Rashba coefficient and nearly 3 orders of magnitude tuning of spin relaxation time within only 1 V of gate bias. Such a dramatic tuning of spin-orbit interaction in nanowires may have implications in nanowire-based spintronic devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arsenicals / chemistry*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Indium / chemistry*
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure*
  • Spin Labels

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • Spin Labels
  • Indium
  • indium arsenide