Rashba–Edelstein effect
it is a spintronics-related effect, consisting in the convertion of a bidimensional charge current into a spin accumulation.
The Rashba–Edelstein effect (REE) is a spintronic phenomenon in which a two-dimensional charge current generates a surface spin accumulation. This effect is an intrinsic charge-to-spin conversion mechanism and it was predicted in 1990 by scientist V. M. Edelstein. It was demonstrated in 2013 and confirmed by experimental evidence in the following years.
The origin of the effect can be ascribed to the presence of spin-polarized surface or interface states. Indeed, a structural inversion symmetry breaking (asymmetry) causes the Rashba effect to occur: this effect breaks the spin degeneracy of the energy bands and causes the spin polarization to be locked to the momentum in each branch of the dispersion relation. If a charge current flows in these spin-polarized surface states, it generates a spin accumulation. In the case of a bidimensional Rashba gas, where this band splitting occurs, this effect is called the Rashba–Edelstein effect.
For a class of peculiar materials called topological insulators, spin-split surface states exist independently from the Rashba effect, due to the surface topology. Topological insulators display a spin-split linear dispersion relation on their surfaces (i.e., spin-polarized Dirac cones), while having a band gap in the bulk (this is why these materials are called insulators). Also in this case, spin and momentum are locked, and, when a charge current flows in these spin-polarized surface states, a spin accumulation is produced; this is called the Edelstein effect.
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