  Spin-orbit interaction couples electron spins to electric fields and allows
electrical monitoring of electron spins and electrical detection of spin
dynamics. Competing mechanisms of spin-orbit interaction are compared, and
optimal conditions for the electric operation of electrons spins in a quantum
well by a gate voltage are established. Electric spin injection into
semiconductors is discussed with a special emphasis on the injection into
ballistic microstructures. Dramatic effect of a long range Coulomb interaction
on transport phenomena in space-quantized low-dimensional conductors is
discussed in conclusion.
