We studied the electric current induced in a two-dimensional electron gas by the spin current, in the presence of Rashba and cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions. We found out that the factor relating the electric and spin currents is not universal, but rather depends on the origin of the spin current. Drastic distinction has been found between two cases: the spin current created by diffusion of an inhomogeneous spin density, and the pure homogeneous spin current. We found that in the former case the inverse spin-Hall effect electric current is finite, while it turns to zero in the latter case, if the spin-orbit coupling is represented by Rashba interaction.

• Received 21 November 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.165201