Spin photocurrent and current-induced spin polarization ——New progress in semiconductor spintronics

By using spin photocurrent and Kerr rotation experiments in a spin-orbit coupled system, we demonstrate how the injected spin can drive a current and how a current can conversely induce spin polarization. It proves that the spin-orbit coupling will not only bring us possible ways to manipulate spin, but also provide a new spin source without magnetic material and/or external magnetic field.