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Author: Gentile, Paola × DDC: 530 ×

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    Designing electron spin textures and spin interferometers by shape deformations
    (College Park : American Physical Society, 2016) Ying, Zu-Jian; Gentile, Paola; Ortix, Carmine; Cuoco, Mario
    We demonstrate that the spin orientation of an electron propagating in a one-dimensional nanostructure with Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling can be manipulated on demand by changing the geometry of the nanosystem. Shape deformations that result in a nonuniform curvature give rise to complex three-dimensional spin textures in space. We employ the paradigmatic example of an elliptically deformed quantum ring to unveil the way to get an all-geometrical and all-electrical control of the spin orientation. The resulting spin textures exhibit a tunable topological character with windings around the radial and the out-of-plane directions. We show that these topologically nontrivial spin patterns affect the spin interference effect in the deformed ring, thereby resulting in different geometry-driven ballistic electronic transport behaviors. Our results establish a deep connection between electronic spin textures, spin transport, and the nanoscale shape of the system.
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    Edge states and topological insulating phases generated by curving a nanowire with Rashba spin-orbit coupling
    (College Park : American Physical Society, 2015) Gentile, Paola; Cuoco, Mario; Ortix, Carmine
    We prove that curvature effects in low-dimensional nanomaterials can promote the generation of topological states of matter by considering the paradigmatic example of quantum wires with Rashba spin-orbit coupling, which are bent in a nanoscale periodic serpentine structure. The effect of the periodic curvature generally results in the appearance of insulating phases with a corresponding novel butterfly spectrum characterized by the formation of finite measure complex regions of forbidden energies. When the Fermi energy lies in the gaps, the system displays localized end states protected by topology. We further show that for certain superstructure periods the system possesses topologically nontrivial insulating phases at half filling. Our results suggest that the local curvature and the topology of the electronic states are inextricably intertwined in geometrically deformed nanomaterials.