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Phys. Rev. B 66, 024436 (2002) [7 pages]

Spin transport in inhomogeneous magnetic fields: A proposal for Stern-Gerlach-like experiments with conduction electrons

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Jaroslav Fabian1,2,3 and S. Das Sarma1
1Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland 20742-4111
2Max-Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany
3Institute for Theoretical Physics, Karl-Franzens University, 8010 Graz, Austria

Received 7 May 2002; published 26 July 2002

Spin dynamics in spatially inhomogeneous magnetic fields is studied within the framework of Boltzmann theory. Stern-Gerlach-like separation of spin up and spin down electrons occurs in ballistic and diffusive regimes, before spin relaxation sets in. Transient dynamics and spectral response to time-dependent inhomogeneous magnetic fields are investigated, and possible experimental observations of our findings are discussed.


©2002 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.66.024436
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.66.024436
PACS: 72.25.Ba, 72.25.Dc, 72.25.Rb

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