Thermally assisted spin Hall effect

The spin polarized charge transport is systematically analyzed as a thermally driven stochastic process. The approach is based on Kramers' equation describing the semiclassical motion under the inclusion of stochastic and damping forces. Due to the relativistic spin–orbit coupling the damping experiences a relativistic correction leading to an additional contribution within the spin Hall conductivity. A further contribution to the conductivity is originated from the averaged underlying crystal potential, the mean value of which depends significantly on the electric field. We derive an exact expression for the electrical conductivity. All corrections are estimated in lowest order of a relativistic approach and in the linear response regime.