Speaker
Sigurdur Erlingson
Description
We study the effects of a longitudinal periodic potential on
a parabolic quantum wire defined in a two-dimensional
electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit interaction. For an
infinite wire superlattice we find that the energy gaps are
shifted away from the usual Bragg planes due to the Rashba
spin-orbit interaction. We have also calculated the charge
conductance through a periodic potential of a finite length
via the nonequilibrium Green's function method combined with
the Landauer formalism. We find dips in the conductance that
correspond well to the energy gaps of the infinite wire
superlattice. From the infinite wire energy dispersion, we
derive an equation relating the location of the conductance
dips as a function of the Fermi energy to the Rashba
spin-orbit coupling strength. We propose that the strength
of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction can be extracted via a
charge conductance measurement.
