Rashba spin-orbit coupling effects on the optical properties of double quantum wire under magnetic field

•Effects of spin-orbit interaction on the optical properties are investigated.•The wire system is represented by a double quartic-well confinement potential.•Potential profile, magnetic field and Rashba spin-orbit interaction are parameters.•Remarkable modification of the optical properties has been observed.

We investigate the effects of Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes associated with transitions between the first two lower-lying electronic levels in double quantum wire. The wire system represented by a symmetric, double quartic-well confinement potential is subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field. The analytical expressions of the linear and third-order nonlinear optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes are obtained by using the compact-density matrix formalism and iterative scheme. Optical properties are investigated as a function of structural parameter, magnetic field, Rashba spin-orbit interaction and photon energies. Numerical results reveal that competing effects between spin-orbit interaction and magnetic field modify strongly the optical properties and can be altered by these parameters.