Study of the conductance through a QPC with lateral

spin-orbit in the absence of magnetic field

S. Cardeña and F. Mireles

September 13, 2021

Let consider a particle of charge 𝑞 = 𝑒 and effective mass 𝐦 in two-dimensional space under
the influence of a saddle potential modeled by 𝑉 (𝑥, 𝑦) = − 21 𝑚𝜔𝑥 𝑥 2 + 12 𝑚𝜔𝑦 𝑦 2 + 𝑚𝜔𝑥𝑦
2
𝑥𝑦 in the
~
complete absence of any magnetic field. The general spin-orbit term 𝐻𝑠𝑜 = 4𝑚2 𝑐 2 ∇𝑉𝑠𝑝 (𝑥, 𝑦)⋅(𝐩×𝛔)
is also included in this system.
The Hamiltonian 𝐇 of the study problem is written as:
1 2 1 1
𝐇= (𝑝𝑥 + 𝑝𝑦2 ) − 𝑚(𝜔𝑥2 − 𝜔𝑦2 )(𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 ) − 𝑚(𝜔𝑥2 + 𝜔𝑦2 )(𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 ) + 𝑚𝜔𝑥𝑦
2
𝑥𝑦
2𝑚 4 4
~
− [(𝜔 2 − 𝜔𝑦2 )(𝑥𝑝𝑦 − 𝑦𝑝𝑥 ) + (𝜔𝑥2 + 𝜔𝑦2 )(𝑥𝑝𝑦 + 𝑦𝑝𝑥 ) + 𝜔𝑥𝑦
2
(𝑥𝑝𝑥 − 𝑦𝑝𝑦 )]𝜎𝑧 (0.1)
8𝑚𝑐 2 𝑥

We define the operators:

𝐋 = (𝑥𝑝𝑦 − 𝑦𝑝𝑥 )
𝐉 = (𝑥𝑝𝑦 + 𝑦𝑝𝑥 )
𝐕 = (𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 )
𝐖 = (𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 )
𝐓 = (𝑝𝑥2 + 𝑝𝑦2 )
𝐔 = (𝑝𝑥2 − 𝑝𝑦2 ) (0.2)

and also we define the constants:

𝜔−2 = (𝜔𝑥2 − 𝜔𝑦2 )
𝜔+2 = (𝜔𝑥2 + 𝜔𝑦2 )
~
𝜔𝑠− = (𝜔 2 − 𝜔𝑦2 )
8𝑚𝑐 2 𝑥
~
𝜔𝑠+ = 2
(𝜔𝑥2 + 𝜔𝑦2 )
8𝑚𝑐
~ 2
𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 = 2
𝜔𝑥𝑦 (0.3)
8𝑚𝑐
Thus, both the operators and the defined constants allow us to rewrite the Hamiltonian as
follows:
1 1 1
𝐇 = 𝐓 − 𝑚𝜔−2 𝐕 − 𝑚𝜔+2 𝐖 + 𝑚𝜔𝑥𝑦 2
𝑥𝑦 − 𝜔𝑠− 𝐋𝜎𝑧 − 𝜔𝑠+ 𝐉𝜎𝑧 − 𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 𝐁𝜎𝑧 (0.4)
𝑚 2 2

1
The Hamiltonian under study has 3 operators that are simultaneously coupled between the x-y
coordinates. These operators are 𝐱𝐲, 𝐋 and 𝐉. As a first step, we will uncouple the 𝐱𝐲 operator.
We propose the unitary transformation:

𝑈1 = 𝑒 −𝑖𝜆𝐋 (0.5)

Applying it on the Hamionian (0.4) results:

𝐇𝟏 = 𝑈1† 𝐇𝑈1 (0.6)

Explicitly developing the Hamiltonian (0.6) we arrive at:

1 1 1
𝐇𝟏 = 𝐓 − 𝑚𝜔−2 𝐕 − 𝑚𝜔+2 [𝐖𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) + 𝐱𝐲𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]
𝑚 2 2
2
+ 𝑚𝜔𝑥𝑦 [𝐱𝐲𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) − 𝐖𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)] − 𝜔𝑠− 𝐋𝜎𝑧
− 𝜔𝑠+ [𝐉𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) − 𝐁𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝜎𝑧 − 𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 [𝐁𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) + 𝐉𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝜎𝑧 (0.7)

By factoring terms we have:

1 1 1
𝐇𝟏 = 𝐓 − 𝑚𝜔−2 𝐕 − 𝑚[ 𝜔+2 𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) + 𝜔𝑥𝑦 2
𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝐖
𝑚 2 2
2 1
+ 𝑚[𝜔𝑥𝑦 𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) − 𝜔+2 𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝐱𝐲 − 𝜔𝑠− 𝐋𝜎𝑧
2
− [𝜔𝑠+ 𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) + 𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝐉𝜎𝑧 − [𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) − 𝜔𝑠+ 𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)]𝐁𝜎𝑧 (0.8)

To eliminate the 𝐱𝐲 operator, the following condition must be met:

2 1
[𝜔𝑥𝑦 𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) − 𝜔+2 𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~)] = 0 (0.9)
2
This leads to:
2
𝜔𝑠+
𝐶𝑜𝑠(2𝜆1 ~) = √ 4 + 4𝜔 4
(0.10)
𝜔𝑠+ 𝑥𝑦
2
2𝜔𝑥𝑦
𝑆𝑖𝑛(2𝜆1 ~) = √ 4 + 4𝜔 4
(0.11)
𝜔𝑠+ 𝑥𝑦

By substituting conditions (0.10) and (0.11) into the Hamiltonian (0.7), it reduces to:
1 1 1
𝐇𝟏 = 𝐓 − 𝑚𝜔−2 𝐕 − 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 𝐖 − 𝜔𝑠− 𝐋𝜎𝑧 − 𝜔𝐽 𝐉𝜎𝑧 − 𝜔𝐵 𝐁𝜎𝑧 (0.12)
𝑚 2 2
Where the new constants are defined:
√
𝜔𝑎2 = 4 + 4𝜔 4
𝜔𝑠+ 𝑥𝑦 (0.13)
𝜔𝑠+ 𝜔+2 + 2𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 𝜔𝑥𝑦
2
𝜔𝐽 = √ 4 4
(0.14)
𝜔𝑠+ + 4𝜔𝑥𝑦
𝜔𝑠𝑥𝑦 𝜔+2 − 2𝜔𝑠+ 𝜔𝑥𝑦
2
𝜔𝐵 = √ 4 4
(0.15)
𝜔𝑠+ + 4𝜔𝑥𝑦

2
At this point, we still have to decouple the operators 𝐋 and 𝐉. To achieve this, we use the unitary
transformations 𝑈2 = 𝑒 𝑖𝜆2 𝐱𝐲 , which leads us to 𝐇𝟐 = 𝐔†𝟐 𝐇𝟏 𝐔𝟐 , and the unitary transformation
𝑈3 = 𝑒 𝑖𝜆3 𝐩𝐱 𝐩𝐲 , obtaining the Hamiltonian 𝐇𝟑 = 𝐔†𝟑 𝐇𝟐 𝐔𝟑 , which leads to the definitions for 𝜆2,3 as:
√
𝑚 1 2 1 4
𝜆2 ~ = − 𝜔𝑎 + 𝜔 − 2(±𝜔𝑠− )(±𝜔−2 𝜔𝑠− ∓ 𝜔𝑎2 𝜔𝐽 ) (0.16)
2𝜔− [ 2 4 𝑎 ]
±𝜔𝑠−
𝜆3 ~ = √ 1 (0.17)
𝑚 4 𝜔𝑎 − 2(±𝜔𝑠− )(±𝜔−2 𝜔𝑠− ∓ 𝜔𝑎2 𝜔𝐽 )
4

In this way, the Hamiltonian corresponding to equation (0.12) is completely decoupled, thus
achieving:
1 2 1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1 1
𝐇𝟑 = 𝑝𝑥 + 𝑝𝑦 − (𝑥𝑝𝑥 − 𝑦𝑝𝑦 ) − 𝑀𝑥𝜎 Ω2𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 + 𝑀𝑦𝜎 Ω2𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 (0.18)
2𝑀𝑥𝜎 2𝑀𝑦𝜎 2 2 2
in which the following definitions are met:
1 1 1 1 1
= − 2𝜆3 ~( 𝜆2 ~ − 𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 ) + 𝜆32 ~2 ( 𝜆22 ~2 − 𝑚𝜔−2 − 2𝜆2 ~𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 )
𝑀𝑥𝜎 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚 2
1
+ 𝜆32 ~2 ( 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 + 2𝜆2 ~𝜔− 𝜎𝑧 ) − 2𝜆3 ~𝜔𝑠− 𝜎𝑧 (0.19)
2
1 1 1 1 1
= − 2𝜆3 ~( 𝜆2 ~ − 𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 ) + 𝜆32 ~2 ( 𝜆22 ~2 − 𝑚𝜔−2 − 2𝜆2 ~𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 )
𝑀𝑦𝜎 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚 2
1
− 𝜆32 ~2 ( 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 + 2𝜆2 ~𝜔− 𝜎𝑧 ) − 2𝜆3 ~𝜔𝑠− 𝜎𝑧 (0.20)
2
2 1 1 1 1
Ω𝑥𝜎 = [ 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 + 2𝜆2 ~𝜔− 𝜎𝑧 − ( 𝜆22 ~2 − 𝑚𝜔−2 − 2𝜆2 ~𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 )] (0.21)
𝑀𝑥𝜎 2 𝑚 2
1 1 1 1
Ω2𝑦𝜎 = [ 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 + 2𝜆2 ~𝜔− 𝜎𝑧 + ( 𝜆22 ~2 − 𝑚𝜔−2 − 2𝜆2 ~𝜔𝐽 𝜎𝑧 )] (0.22)
𝑀𝑦𝜎 2 𝑚 2
Since the Hamiltonian of study is already completely decoupled, it is proposed to write it as
the sum of two Hamiltonians that to write it as the sum of two Hamiltonians that commute
with each other [𝐇𝛔𝐱 , 𝐇𝛔𝐲 ] = 0, 𝐇𝟑 = 𝐇𝛔𝐱 + 𝐇𝛔𝐲 . Thus, returning to the original definitions, each
part is written:
1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1
𝐇𝛔𝐱 = 𝑝 − 𝑥𝑝𝑥 − 𝑀𝑥𝜎 Ω2𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 (0.23)
2𝑀𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 2
1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1
𝐇𝛔𝐲 = 𝑝 + 𝑦𝑝𝑦 + 𝑀𝑦𝜎 Ω2𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 (0.24)
2𝑀𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 2
The complete Hamiltonian is the sum of two commuting Hamiltonians, the first one (𝐇𝛔𝐱 ) is
equivalent to one in which a one-dimensional particle is in an inverted harmonic potential, and
the other (𝐇𝛔𝐲 ) represents the one-dimensional particle but simply confined in a 1D harmonic
potential.

1 Solution for uncoupled differential equations

Interestingly, the two-dimensional Hamiltonian (0.18) is Hermitian, which does not necessarily
make it so for the one-dimensional Hamiltonians defined in (0.23) and (0.24) for 𝐇𝛔𝐱 y 𝐇𝛔𝐲 . The
Hermitian-breaking terms in (0.23) and (0.24) are the linear terms 𝑥𝑝𝑥 and 𝑦𝑝𝑦 , respectively.

3
Thus, following the analysis developed in appendix D of the thesis "Effects of Spin-Orbit
Interaction on Electronic Transmission in Two-Dimensional Quantum Constraints", in which
basically the null term − 21 𝑝𝑥 𝑥 + 12 𝑝𝑦 𝑦 is added, allows to rewrite the Hamiltonians 𝐇𝛔𝐱 y 𝐇𝛔𝐲
guaranteed Hermiticity:

1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1
𝐇𝛔𝐱 = 𝑝 − (𝑥𝑝𝑥 + 𝑝𝑥 𝑥) − 𝑀𝑥𝜎 Ω2𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 (1.1)
2𝑀𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 2
1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1
𝐇𝛔𝐲 = 𝑝 + (𝑦𝑝𝑦 + 𝑝𝑦 𝑦) + 𝑀𝑦𝜎 Ω2𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 (1.2)
2𝑀𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 2

Thus, the eigenvalues of the (uncoupled) problem for each direction are:

𝐇𝛔𝐱 𝜓 (𝑥) = 𝐸𝑥𝜎 𝜓 (𝑥) (1.3)

and

𝐇𝛔𝐲 𝜙(𝑦) = 𝐸𝑦𝜎 𝜙(𝑦) (1.4)

with

Ψ(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝜓 (𝑥)𝜙(𝑦) (1.5)

Explicitly we have the Hamiltonian dependent on y:

1 2 𝜔𝐵𝜎 1
𝑝𝑦 + (𝑦𝑝𝑦 + 𝑝𝑦 𝑦) + 𝑀𝑦𝜎 Ω2𝑦𝜎 𝑦 2 𝜙(𝑦) = 𝐸𝑦𝜎 𝜙(𝑦) (1.6)
[ 2𝑀𝑦𝜎 2 2 ]

Variable change defined 𝑦̄ = 𝑦/𝑦0 con

~
𝑦02 = (1.7)
𝑀𝑦𝜎 Ω𝑦𝜎
and the constants
2𝜔𝐵𝜎
𝑔𝑦𝜎 = (1.8)
Ω𝑦𝜎
2 𝜎
𝜀𝑦𝜎 = 𝐸 (1.9)
~Ω𝑦𝜎 𝑦
the differential equation is obtained as
𝑑2 𝑑 1
+ 𝑖𝑔𝑦𝜎 𝑦̄ + 𝑖 𝑔𝑦𝜎 − 𝑦̄ 2 + 𝜀𝑦𝜎 𝜙(𝑦)
̄ =0 (1.10)
( 𝑑 𝑦̄ 2 𝑑 𝑦̄ 2 )

In order to solve the eigenvalue problem and obtain an appropriate differential equation, we
propose a solution to (1.10) of the form
1 2
̄ = 𝑒 − 4 𝑠𝑦̄ 𝑢(𝑦)
𝜙(𝑦) ̄ (1.11)

with 𝑠 = 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏, 𝑎, 𝑏𝜀𝑅. Thus, by substituting (1.11) in (1.10) results:

1 1 𝑎
𝑢 ′′ (𝑦) ̄ ′ (𝑦)
̄ − 𝑎𝑦𝑢 ̄ + [( 𝑠 2 − 𝑠𝑔𝑦𝜎 − 1)𝑦̄ 2 + 𝜀𝑦𝜎 − ]𝑢(𝑦)
̄ =0 (1.12)
4 2 2

4
since 𝑠 = 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏 we can establish 𝑏 = 𝑔, which would imply that 𝑠 − 𝑖𝑔 = 𝑎 is a real scalar. Then,
if we do
1 2 1
𝑠 − 𝑠𝑔𝑦𝜎 − 1 = 0 (1.13)
4 2
leads to
√
𝑎= 2
4 − 𝑔𝑦𝜎 (1.14)

which allows the differential equation to reduce to

𝑎
𝑢 ′′ (𝑦) ̄ ′ (𝑦)
̄ − 𝑎𝑦𝑢 ̄ + (𝜀𝑦𝜎 − )𝑢(𝑦)
̄ =0 (1.15)
2

𝑦̄
We systematically propose a new change in the variable 𝑌 = 𝑌0
,

2
𝑌02 = (1.16)
𝑎

Thus the equation (1.15) reduces to:

2 𝑎
𝑢 ′′ (𝑌 ) − 2𝑌𝑢 ′ (𝑦) + (𝜀𝑦𝜎 + )𝑢(𝑌 ) = 0. (1.17)
𝑎 2

The differential equation (1.17) is just the Hermite differential equation with 𝑎2 (𝜀𝑦𝜎 𝑎2 ) = 2𝑛, 𝑛𝜀𝑁
leading to
1
𝜀𝑦𝜎 = (𝑛 + )𝑎 (1.18)
2
Retaking (1.9) and (1.14) to be substituted in (1.18) we achieve:

𝜎 1 1 √
𝐸𝑦,𝑛 = Ω𝑦𝜎 (𝑛 + ) 4 − 𝑔𝜎2 (1.19)
2 2

Explicitly we have the Hamiltonian dependent on x:

1 2 𝑖~ 1
𝑝𝑥 − 𝜔𝐵𝜎 (𝑥𝑝𝑥 − ) − 𝑀𝑥𝜎 Ω2𝑥𝜎 𝑥 2 𝜓 (𝑥) = 𝐸𝑥𝜎 𝜓 (𝑥) (1.20)
[ 2𝑀𝑥𝜎 2 2 ]

Variable change defined 𝑥̄ = 𝑥/𝑥0 with

~
𝑥02 = (1.21)
𝑀𝑥𝜎 Ω𝑥𝜎
and the constants
2𝜔𝐵𝜎
𝑔𝑥𝜎 = (1.22)
Ω𝑥𝜎
2 𝜎
𝜀𝑥𝜎 = 𝐸 (1.23)
~Ω𝑥𝜎 𝑥

5
the differential equation is obtained as

𝑑2 𝑑 1
2
− 𝑖𝑔𝑥𝜎 𝑥̄ − 𝑖 𝑔𝑥𝜎 + 𝑥̄ 2 + 𝜀𝑥𝜎 𝜓 (𝑥)
̄ =0 (1.24)
( 𝑑 𝑥̄ 𝑑 𝑥̄ 2 )

A solution to the differential equation (1.24) is stalemated of the form

1 2
̄ = 𝑒 4 𝑖𝑔𝑥𝜎 𝑥̄ 𝑢(𝑥)
𝜓 (𝑥) ̄ (1.25)

Thus, by substituting (1.25) in (1.24) results:

1
𝑢 ′′ (𝑥) 2
̄ + (4 + 𝑔𝑥𝜎 2
̄ + 𝜀𝑥𝜎 𝑢(𝑥)
)𝑥̄ 𝑢(𝑥) ̄ = 0. (1.26)
4
Finally, we propose the change of variable 𝑋 = 𝑥/𝑋
̄ 0 with
2
𝑋02 = √ , (1.27)
2
4 + 𝑔𝑥𝜎

and we apply it in the differential equation (1.26) we get

𝑢 ′′ (𝑋 ) + 𝑋 2 𝑢(𝑋 ) + 𝑎𝑥𝜎 𝑢(𝑋 ) = 0, (1.28)

wherein
2𝜀𝑥𝜎
𝑎𝑥𝜎 = √ (1.29)
2
4 + 𝑔𝑥𝜎

This important result led us to a differential equation analogous to the one studied by Fertig
and Halperin. Thus, the transmission coefficient for this problem is:
1
𝑇𝜎 = 𝑇 (𝐸𝐺𝜎 ) = (1.30)
1 + 𝑒𝑥𝑝(−𝜋𝑎𝑥𝜎 )