Spin-density induced by electromagnetic wave in two-dimensional electron gas

We consider the magnetic response of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with a spin-orbit interaction to a long-wave-length electromagnetic excitation. We observe that the transverse electric field creates spin polarization perpendicular to the 2DEG plane. The effect is more prominent in clean systems with resolved spin-orbit-split subbands, and reaches maximum when the frequency of the wave matches the subband splitting at the Fermi momentum. The relation of this effect to the spin-Hall effect is discussed.