Spin and charge Nernst effect in a four-terminal double-dot interferometer

• Published in: Physics letters. A Vol. 382; no. 42-43; pp. 3135 - 3140
• Main Authors: Liang, Feng, Zhang, Dong, Gao, Ben-Ling, Song, Guang, Gu, Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 26.10.2018
• Subjects: Charge Nernst effect; Interferometer; Rashba spin–orbit interaction; Spin Nernst effect; Thermospin generator; Spin Nernst effect; Thermospin generator; Charge Nernst effect; Rashba spin–orbit interaction; Interferometer
• ISSN: 0375-9601; 1873-2429
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physleta.2018.08.025

We investigate the spin and charge Nernst effect of a four-terminal Aharonov–Bohm interferometer with Rashba spin–orbit interaction (RSOI). It is shown that a pure spin Nernst effect or a fully spin-polarized Nernst effect can be obtained by modulating the magnetic flux phase ϕ and the RSOI induced phase φ. It is also demonstrated that some windows of ϕ (or φ) for maintaining an almost fully spin-polarized Nernst effect exist and their width is under the control of the other phase. Moreover, for the charge Nernst coefficient Nc and spin Nernst coefficient Ns the relationship Nc(ϕ,φ)=−Ns(φ,ϕ) always holds. These results suggest that our proposal may act as a controllable thermospin generator. •A pure spin Nernst effect can be obtained and manipulated electrically.•A fully spin-polarized Nernst effect with tunable spin direction can be obtained.•Some phase windows for creating nearly fully spin-polarized Nernst effect exist.•The width of the windows is controllable by the other phase.•We show some symmetry properties of the spin and charge Nernst coefficients.