Spin-dependent Kondo effect induced by Rashba spin-orbit interaction in parallel coupled double quantum dots

Electronic transport through parallel coupled double quantum dots (DQD) with Rashba spin-orbit (RSO) interaction is investigated in Kondo regime by means of the slave-boson mean field approximation at zero temperature. By the co-action of the phase factor deduced by RSO interaction and the magnetic flux penetrating the parallel DQD, an interesting spin-dependent Kondo effect emerges. The molecular state representation theory is used to obtain a detailed understanding of the spin-dependent Kondo effect. It is shown that Quantum interference between the bonding Kondo state and antibonding state, which is modulated by the RSO interaction, plays a crucial role to the density of states and the linear conductance. The magnitude of each spin component conductance can be modulated by the RSO interaction strength. The conductance of each spin component exhibits 4 pi-periodic function with respect to phi(R). Moreover, the swap operation in the parallel DQD system can be implemented by tuning the RSO interaction. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.