English

Spin-orbit interaction from low-symmetry localized defects in semiconductors

Disordered Systems and Neural Networks 2015-03-19 v2 Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Abstract

The presence of low-symmetry impurities or defect complexes in the zinc-blende direct-gap semiconductors (e.g. interstitials, DX-centers) results in a novel spin-orbit term in the effective Hamiltonian for the conduction band. The new extrinsic spin-orbit interaction is proportional to the matrix element of the defect potential between the conduction and the valence bands. Because this interaction arises already in the first order of the expansion of the effective Hamiltonian in powers of Uext/Eg << 1 (where Uext is the pseudopotential of an interstitial atom, and Eg is the band gap), its contribution to the spin relaxation rate may exceed that of the previously studied extrinsic contributions, even for moderate concentrations of impurities.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1105.5674,
  title  = {Spin-orbit interaction from low-symmetry localized defects in semiconductors},
  author = {Oleg Chalaev and G. Vignale and Michael E. Flatté},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1105.5674},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

extended version, 5+ pages

R2 v1 2026-06-21T18:13:55.181Z