Onsager Reciprocal Relations for Charge and Spin Transport in Periodically Driven Systems

Abstract

A time-periodic driving field can be used to generate and control transport phenomena. Any transport coefficients in the linear-response regime are restricted by the Onsager reciprocal relations, but these relations in periodically driven systems have been poorly understood. In particular, the Onsager reciprocal relation in spin transport of these systems is lacking despite its vital role. Here we establish the Onsager reciprocal relations for charge and spin transport in periodically driven systems. We consider the time-averaged charge and spin off-diagonal dc conductivities $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{C}}$ and $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{S}}$ in the nonequilibrium steady state with the pump field of light. First, we argue the Onsager reciprocal relations for these conductivities with the pump field of circularly, linearly, or bicircularly polarized light. We show that $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{C}}$ and $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{S}}$ satisfy the Onsager reciprocal relations in all the cases considered, but their main terms depend on the polarization of light. Our numerical calculations validate our general arguments. Therefore, the spin current generated in periodically driven systems is detectable by the inverse spin Hall effect. Our numerical calculations also show that $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{C}}$ cannot necessarily be regarded as the anomalous Hall conductivity even with broken time-reversal symmetry, whereas $σ_{yx}^{\textrm{S}}$ can be regarded as the spin Hall conductivity in all the cases considered. Our results suggest that it is highly required to check the dominant terms of the charge and spin off-diagonal conductivities in discussing the anomalous Hall and spin Hall effects, respectively. This study will become a cornerstone of theoretical and experimental studies of transport phenomena in periodically driven systems.