Spin-orbit coupling in a quantum dot at high magnetic field

We describe the simultaneous effects of the spin-orbit (SO) perturbation and a magnetic field B on a disk-shaped quantum dot (QD). It is known that the combination of electrostatic forces among the N electrons confined in the QD and the Pauli principle can induce a spin polarization when B (applied in the direction orthogonal to the QD) is above a threshold value. In the presence of an electric field parallel to B, coupled to the spin S by a Rashba term, we demonstrate that a symmetry breaking takes place: we can observe it by analyzing the splitting of the levels belonging to an unperturbed multiplet. We also discuss the competitive effects of the magnetic field, the SO perturbation, and the electron-electron interaction, in order to define the hierarchy of the states belonging to a multiplet. We demonstrate how this hierarchy depends on the QD's size. We show the spin texture due to the combined effects of the Rashba effect and the interaction responsible for the polarization.