  We discuss a general scheme for creating atomic spin-orbit coupling (SOC)
such as the Rashba or Dresselhaus types using magnetic-field-gradient pulses.
In contrast to conventional schemes based on adiabatic center-of-mass motion
with atomic internal states restricted to a dressed-state subspace, our scheme
works for the complete subspace of a hyperfine-spin manifold by utilizing the
coupling between the atomic magnetic moment and external magnetic fields. A
spatially dependent pulsed magnetic field acts as an internal-state-dependent
impulse, thereby coupling the atomic internal spin with its orbital
center-of-mass motion, as in the Einstein-de Haas effect. This effective
coupling can be dynamically manipulated to synthesize SOC of any type (Rashba,
Dresselhaus, or any linear combination thereof). Our scheme can be realized
with most experimental setups of ultracold atoms and is especially suited for
atoms with zero nuclear spins.
