Anisotropic electron transport Rashba effects in valleytronics

Abstract

Electrically induced space separation of free carriers from different valleys in bulk multivalley semiconductors in restricted geometry was first reported by E. I. Rashba in 1965. This Rashba valley-dependent size effect envisioned the use of a valley index in future electronics. It remains relevant at present for the rapidly developing field of valleytronics. The authors show that electrically induced valley-polarized domains can arise in two-dimensional multivalley semiconductor nanosystems with anisotropic valleys ($n$-Si, $n$-AlAs, etc.). The formation of such domains leads to space separation of carriers from different valleys, generates valley currents, and induces electric (magnetic) fields.