Abstract:
The spin transport as the current flows through an impurity in a one-dimensional conductor is analyzed. The interacting electrons are described in terms of the Luttinger liquid theory. Both the Coulomb and short-range interactions are considered; the latter appears when the gate screens the long-range part of the Coulomb potential. The cases of magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities are considered. It has been revealed that, for a magnetic impurity, the electric current flow induces the generation of the spin current, which has direct and alternating components. At low temperatures and voltages, the current can be completely spin-polarized. For a nonmagnetic impurity, the spin current generation is absent. The spin current flowing though the wire affects the current-voltage characteristic for both magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities. The results have been obtained for a rather strong electron-electron interaction.