Yang–Mills physics in spintronics

Abstract

We review briefly the origin of gauge physics as well as their modern manifestations e.g. in Yang–Mills, Aharonov–Bohm, Aharonov–Casher, and the Berry–Pancharatnam effects. Yang–Mills has its origin in the high energy physics, and has since been widely studied in condensed matter and atomic physics. Recently research in spin–orbit coupling is increasingly being cast in the light of Yang–Mills, leading to new approaches in the study of quantum transport in nanoscale settings like the 2D-graphene and semiconductor nanostructures. It is important to note that this paper will not review non-Abelian physics in condensed matter systems like superfluid, Mott insulators, and atomic quantum gases. The main coverage of this paper would be the non-Abelian, Yang–Mills-inspired gauge physics in fields that straddle condensed matter and quantum spin transport – a technologically relevant field of research also known as the spintronics. Our perspectives are the force and phase physics and their connection with well-known spintronic and magnetic phenomena. The force physics of the spintronic gauge, e.g. the spin Hall, spin jitter motion, quantum spin Hall, and spin torque is discussed. The other important aspect of the gauge field, i.e. its phase physics would be discussed in the context of spin interference and the persistent spin helix.