Spin photocurrent and current－induced spin polarization——New progress in semiconductor spintronics

By using spin photocurrent and Kerr rotation experiments in a spin－orbit coupled system, we demonstrate how the injected spin can drive a current and how a current can conversely induce spin polarization. It proves that the spin－orbit coupling will not only bring us possible ways to manipulate spin, but also provide a new spin source without magnetic material and/or external magnetic field.