We consider a 2-dimensional Bloch-Landau-Pauli Hamiltonian for a spinful electron in a constant magnetic field subject to a periodic background potential. Assuming that the z-component of the spin operator is conserved, we compute the linear response of the associated spin density of states to a small change in the magnetic field, and identify it with the spin Hall conductivity. This response is in the form of a spin Chern marker, which is in general quantized to a half-integer, and to an integer under the further assumption of time-reversal symmetry. Our result is thus a generalization to the context of the quantum spin Hall effect of the well-known formula by Steda, which is formulated instead for charge transport.

Středa formula for charge and spin currents

Moscolari, Massimo
2021-01-01

Abstract

We consider a 2-dimensional Bloch-Landau-Pauli Hamiltonian for a spinful electron in a constant magnetic field subject to a periodic background potential. Assuming that the z-component of the spin operator is conserved, we compute the linear response of the associated spin density of states to a small change in the magnetic field, and identify it with the spin Hall conductivity. This response is in the form of a spin Chern marker, which is in general quantized to a half-integer, and to an integer under the further assumption of time-reversal symmetry. Our result is thus a generalization to the context of the quantum spin Hall effect of the well-known formula by Steda, which is formulated instead for charge transport.
2021
Bloch-Landau-Pauli Hamiltonian
spin currents
Steda formula
spin Chern marker
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1267984
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