Spin filtering and spin Hall accumulation in an interferometric ballistic nanojunction with Rashba spin-orbit interaction

We propose an all-electrical nanostructure where a spin accumulation, an observable signature of the spin Hall effect, and a spin current are induced in the probes attached to a quantum-coherent ballistic one-dimensional T junction when unpolarized charge current is injected through its longitudinal lead. Our proposal is essentially based on the Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) and on the presence of one lead where the SOI vanishes. Tuning of the Rashba SOI in the semiconductor heterostructure hosting the junction generates quasiperiodic oscillations of the predicted spin current due to spin-sensitive quantum-interference effects caused by the difference in the interferometric phase accumulated by opposite spin states.