title: The universal definition of spin current.
abstract: The spin current, orbit angular momentum current and total angular momentum current in a tensor form have been universally defined according to the quantum electrodynamics. Their conservation quantities and the continuity equations have been discussed in different cases. Non-relativistic approximation forms are deduced in order to explain their physical meanings, and to analyze some experimental results. The spin current of helical edge states in HgTe/CdTe quantum wells is calculated to demonstrate the properties of the spin current of the two dimensional quantum spin-Hall system. A generalized spin-orbit coupling term in the semiconducting media is deduced based on the theory of the electrodynamics in the moving media. It is recommended to use the effective total angular momentum current instead of the pure spin current to describe the distribution of polarization and the transport properties in spintronics.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University , Wuhan 430072,  China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: F Q
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu