Polarized Electric Current in Semiclassical Transport with Spin-Orbit Interaction

Semiclassical solutions of two-dimensional Schrodinger equation with spin-orbit interaction and smooth potential are considered. In the leading order, spin polarization is in-plane and follows the evolution of the electron momentum for a given subband. Out-of-plane spin polarization appears as a quantum correction, for which an explicit expression is obtained. We demonstrate how spin-polarized currents can be achieved with the help of a barrier or quantum point contact open for transmission only in the lower subband.