Spin-sensitive atom scattering via spin-orbit interaction

• Published in: The European physical journal. D, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Vol. 74; no. 11
• Main Authors: Zheng, Ren-Fei, Li, Zheng-Chun, Qin, Jie-Li, Zhang, Weiping, Zhou, Lu, Li, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applications of Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos Theory; Atomic; Cold spinning; Molecular; Optical and Plasma Physics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polarization (spin alignment); Potential barriers; Quantum Information Technology; Quantum Physics; Regular Article; Scattering; Spectroscopy/Spectrometry; Spin-orbit interactions; Spintronics; Atomic Physics
• ISSN: 1434-6060; 1434-6079
• DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2020-10379-9

We study the spin-sensitive scattering of the spin-orbit (SO) coupled cold atom subject to a moving spin-independent rectangular potential barrier. Due to that SO coupling breaks Galilean invariance, the spin orientation of the atom can be switched unidirectionally and thus can serve as a one-way spin switch. Different atomic scattering processes are analyzed at different barrier velocities. We explore the spin polarization rate and the transmission coefficient in a wide range of barrier velocities and find good agreement with the corresponding experiment. The spin switch can reach an efficiency close to 1 at appropriate parameters. This study presents a comprehensive understanding of the physical mechanism underlying the system’s function as a spintronic device. Graphical abstract