Non-Linear Transport in [111] Nanowires with Spin-Orbit Coupling

Nanowires exhibiting Fermi-level pinning have strong radial confinement of electrons, often modeled as a two-dimensional electron gas. Our study focuses on electrons in a tubular electron gas being conducted down the longitudinal axis of [111] zinc-blende nanowires, driven by either electric fields or thermal gradients. The energies and eigenfunctions of the system are calculated through exact-diagonalization and used to calculate linear and non-linear transport properties through the Boltzmann Transport Equation. The inclusion of effective spin-orbit interaction creates interesting electron transport features and permits longitudinally transported spin currents.