English

Exchange energy and generalized polarization in the presence of spin-orbit coupling in two dimensions

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2009-11-13 v2

Abstract

We discuss a general form of the exchange energy for a homogeneous system of interacting electrons in two spatial dimensions which is particularly suited in the presence of a generic spin-orbit interaction. The theory is best formulated in terms of a generalized fractional electronic polarization. Remarkably we find that a net generalized polarization does not necessarily translate into an increase in the magnitude of the exchange energy, a fact that in turn favors unpolarized states. Our results account qualitatively for the findings of recent experimental investigations.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0701355,
  title  = {Exchange energy and generalized polarization in the presence of spin-orbit coupling in two dimensions},
  author = {S. Chesi and G. F. Giuliani},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0701355},
  year   = {2009}
}