The electron spin-orbit interaction in condensed matter physics can be tuned via an electric gate (in contrast to atomic physics). This opens up the unique possibility for electric control of the intrinsically-magnetic degree of freedom of the electron – its ‘spin’. This was the major motivation behind Quantum Spintronics (e.g., spin field effect transistor) and Quantum Computation (with spin qubits) over the last 10 – 15 years. More recently, however, there has been a renewed interest in the spin orbit interaction in condensed matter as researchers realized that this interaction is a crucial ingredient underlying newly discovered physical phenomena such as (i) topological insulating behavior, (ii) novel persistent spin-density waves in non-interacting electron systems, and (iii) the emergence of Majorana modes – all of these in quantum wells, wires and dots. In this colloquium I will first review the basics of the spin-orbit interaction in solids and then present an overview of the novel phenomena in (i), (ii) and (iii) (+ underlying basics concepts), highlighting some recent developments on these three topics in my research group in São Carlos.
Entrada franca
Rua do Matão, travessa R, nº 187
Transmissão no site: www.iptv.usp.br
