General solution of the Dirac equation for quasi-two-dimensional electrons

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Eremko, A A, Brizhik, L S, Loktev, V M
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 12.11.2015
• Subjects: Dirac equation; Electron spin; Energy spectra; Mathematical analysis; Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Polarization (spin alignment); Quantum wells; Spintronics
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1511.04034

The general solution of the Dirac equation for quasi-two-dimensional electrons confined in an asymmetric quantum well, is found. The energy spectrum of such a system is exactly calculated using special unitary transformation and shown to depend on the electron spin polarization. The general solution, being the only one, contains free parameters, whose variation continuously transforms one known particular solution into another. As an example, two different cases are considered in detailL: electron in a deep and in a strongly asymmetric shallow quantum well. The effective mass renormalized by relativistic corrections and Bychkov-Rashba coefficients are analytically obtained for both cases. The general solution allows - independently on the existence of the spin invariants - to establish conditions at which a specific (accompanied or non-accompanied by Rashba splitting) spin state can be realized. In principle, this opens new possibilities of the spin degree of freedom control in spintronics via synthesis of heteroctructures of the desirable properties.