Tunable pure spin currents in a triple-quantum-dot ring

Electronic transport through a triple-quantum-dot ring with three terminals is theoretically studied. By introducing local Rashba spin-orbit interaction on an individual quantum dot, we calculate the charge and spin currents in one lead. We find that a pure spin current without an accompanying charge current appears even at zero magnetic field case. The polarization direction of the spin current can be inverted by altering the bias voltage. In addition, by tuning the magnetic field strength, the charge and spin currents reach their respective peaks alternately. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.