Spin-Hall current and spin polarization in an electrically biased SNS Josephson junction

Abstract

Periodic in time spin-Hall current and spin polarization induced by a dc electric bias have been calculated in a superconductor-normal two-dimensional electron gas-superconductor (SNS) Josephson junction. We assumed that the band energies of electrons in the normal system are split due to Rashba spin-orbit coupling. The transport parameters have been calculated within the diffusion approximation and by using perturbation expansion over a small SN contact transparency. We found out that, in contrast to the stationary Josephson effect, the spin-Hall current does not turn to zero. Besides a direct proximity effect caused by a Cooper pair's transition into a triplet state, the spin current and polarization are also driven by a periodic electric field associated with the charge imbalance.