TY - JOUR
T1 - Exact SU(2) symmetry and persistent spin helix in a spin-orbit coupled system
AU - Bernevig, B. Andrei
AU - Orenstein, J.
AU - Zhang, Shou Cheng
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Spin-orbit coupled systems generally break the spin rotation symmetry. However, for a model with equal Rashba and Dresselhauss coupling constants, and for the [110] Dresselhauss model, a new type of SU(2) spin rotation symmetry is discovered. This symmetry is robust against spin-independent disorder and interactions and is generated by operators whose wave vector depends on the coupling strength. It renders the spin lifetime infinite at this wave vector, giving rise to a persistent spin helix. We obtain the spin fluctuation dynamics at, and away from, the symmetry point and suggest experiments to observe the persistent spin helix.
AB - Spin-orbit coupled systems generally break the spin rotation symmetry. However, for a model with equal Rashba and Dresselhauss coupling constants, and for the [110] Dresselhauss model, a new type of SU(2) spin rotation symmetry is discovered. This symmetry is robust against spin-independent disorder and interactions and is generated by operators whose wave vector depends on the coupling strength. It renders the spin lifetime infinite at this wave vector, giving rise to a persistent spin helix. We obtain the spin fluctuation dynamics at, and away from, the symmetry point and suggest experiments to observe the persistent spin helix.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.236601
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.236601
M3 - Article
C2 - 17280220
AN - SCOPUS:33845266987
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 97
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
IS - 23
M1 - 236601
ER -