Spin Hall effect generated by a temperature gradient and heat current in a two-dimensional electron gas

We predict an intrinsic thermo-spin Hall effect, namely, that a transverse spin current is generated by the temperature gradient and the heat current in a disorder-free two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with finite spin-orbit coupling. There exist two classes of contributions to the thermal spin Hall effect, corresponding to a 2DEG contacting two reservoirs at different temperatures and to a 2DEG separated from the reservoirs by insulating spacers, respectively. It is shown that the thermal spin Hall current can be generated not only by the temperature gradient directly but also by the thermoelectric effect. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.