Rashba effect: Spin splitting of surface and interface states

Ulrich Zuelicke
u.zuelicke@massey.ac.nz

Institute of Fundamental Sciences and MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Outline
Introduction electron spin Zeeman effect spin-orbit coupling Rashba effect in semiconductor heterostructures structural inversion asymmetry results in spin splitting basis for spin-dependent transport effects Rashba effect at (metal) surfaces basic setup & discovery STM study of effect Discussion
6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Introduction: Spin, Zeeman effect & spin-orbit coupling

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electron spin
electron = charge + spin

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electron spin
electron = charge + spin spin behaves like angular momentum, but is not related to any real rotational motion

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electron spin
electron = charge + spin spin behaves like angular momentum, but is not related to any real rotational motion quantum discreteness of spin projection: electrons come in two avours (spin-up or spin-down )

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Magnetic moment due to spin

microscopic magnetic dipole associated with spin

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Magnetic moment due to spin

microscopic magnetic dipole associated with spin spin interacts w/ magnetic elds (Stern-Gerlach expt)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Magnetic moment due to spin

microscopic magnetic dipole associated with spin spin interacts w/ magnetic elds (Stern-Gerlach expt) spin degeneracy at zero eld lifted in nite elds

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Magnetic moment due to spin

microscopic magnetic dipole associated with spin spin interacts w/ magnetic elds (Stern-Gerlach expt) spin degeneracy at zero eld lifted in nite elds energy splitting between the two spin states in a magnetic eld: Zeeman spin splitting of electron states in atoms

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electric elds interact with spin

electron spin affected by magnetic eld (Zeeman effect)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electric elds interact with spin

electron spin affected by magnetic eld (Zeeman effect) electric eld affects spin state of moving electrons

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electric elds interact with spin

electron spin affected by magnetic eld (Zeeman effect) electric eld affects spin state of moving electrons relativistic effect: electric eld in lab frame causes magnetic eld in rest frame of moving electron

E v
laboratory frame

1 B= c2 E

xv

electron rest frame

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electric elds interact with spin

electron spin affected by magnetic eld (Zeeman effect) electric eld affects spin state of moving electrons relativistic effect: electric eld in lab frame causes magnetic eld in rest frame of moving electron Zeeman effect of electron moving in an electric eld!

E v
laboratory frame

1 B= c2 E

xv

electron rest frame

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Electric elds interact with spin

electron spin affected by magnetic eld (Zeeman effect) electric eld affects spin state of moving electrons relativistic effect: electric eld in lab frame causes magnetic eld in rest frame of moving electron Zeeman effect of electron moving in an electric eld! orbital motion and spin intertwined: spin-orbit coupling

E v
laboratory frame

1 B= c2 E

xv

electron rest frame

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb =
p2 2m0

+ Vext (r)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

quasi-free electrons in solids: effect of periodic crystal potential incorporated by effective-mass Hamiltonian

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

quasi-free electrons in solids: effect of periodic crystal potential incorporated by effective-mass Hamiltonian p2 Horb = + Vext (r) ; HZ = g B B S
2m

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

quasi-free electrons in solids: effect of periodic crystal potential incorporated by effective-mass Hamiltonian p2 Horb = + Vext (r) ; HZ = g B B S
2m

Hso =

p m

Vext Eg

S, where Eg is the band gap

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

quasi-free electrons in solids: effect of periodic crystal potential incorporated by effective-mass Hamiltonian p2 Horb = + Vext (r) ; HZ = g B B S
2m

Hso =

p m

Vext Eg

S, where Eg is the band gap

typically Egap 1 eV, compare with 2m0 c2 1 MeV

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Spin splitting: Vacuum vs. solids

quantum electron dynamics described by Hamiltonian H orbital motion: Horb = Zeeman effect: HZ = g
p2 2m0 B

+ Vext (r) BS
p m0 Vext 2m0 c2

spin-orbit coupling: Hso =

quasi-free electrons in solids: effect of periodic crystal potential incorporated by effective-mass Hamiltonian p2 Horb = + Vext (r) ; HZ = g B B S
2m

Hso =

p m

Vext Eg

S, where Eg is the band gap

typically Egap 1 eV, compare with 2m0 c2 1 MeV spin-orbit effects are drastically enhanced in solids!

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Rashba effect: Spin splitting & structural inversion asymmetry

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Semiconductor heterostructures
semiconductor: conduction/valence band edges Ec & Ev
Ec InAlAs

Ev z z

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Semiconductor heterostructures
semiconductor: conduction/valence band edges Ec & Ev
+ + + + + + + + +

Ec InAlAs
2D bound state

InGaAs

InAlAs

Ev z z

combine two different materials in a heterostructure: spatial variation of band edges induced (band bending)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Semiconductor heterostructures
semiconductor: conduction/valence band edges Ec & Ev
+ + + + + + + + +

Ec InAlAs
2D bound state

InGaAs

InAlAs

Ev z z

combine two different materials in a heterostructure: spatial variation of band edges induced (band bending) realises textbook example of 2D quantum well

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Semiconductor heterostructures
semiconductor: conduction/valence band edges Ec & Ev
+ + + + + + + + +

Ec InAlAs
2D bound state

InGaAs

InAlAs

Ev z z

combine two different materials in a heterostructure: spatial variation of band edges induced (band bending) realises textbook example of 2D quantum well spatial asymmetry of band edges mimics electric eld: gives rise to a spin-orbit coupling HR = 2
k m

kso z S

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Semiconductor heterostructures
semiconductor: conduction/valence band edges Ec & Ev
+ + + + + + + + +

Ec InAlAs
2D bound state

InGaAs

InAlAs

Ev z z

combine two different materials in a heterostructure: spatial variation of band edges induced (band bending) realises textbook example of 2D quantum well spatial asymmetry of band edges mimics electric eld: gives rise to a spin-orbit coupling HR = 2
k m

kso z S

wave-vector scale kso is measure for the structural inversion asymmetry of heterostructure: tuneable!
6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p.

Rashba spin splitting

spin-orbit effects from structural inversion asymmetry: studies pioneered by Emmanuel Rashba

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba spin splitting

spin-orbit effects from structural inversion asymmetry: studies pioneered by Emmanuel Rashba in a 2D electron system: HR =
2 m

kso [Sx ky Sy kx ]

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba spin splitting

spin-orbit effects from structural inversion asymmetry: studies pioneered by Emmanuel Rashba in a 2D electron system: HR =
2 m

kso [Sx ky Sy kx ]

Rashba term causes momentum-dependent spin splitting, which is different from Zeeman effect!
E E E

ky

ky

ky

spindegenerate

Zeeman splitting

Rashba splitting

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

"OFF"

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect & spin electronics

full picture: 2D electron eigenstates have S k
ky

kx

2kso

gate-tuneable kso : spinFET

"ON"

V g

Ferromagnet

2D electron system

Ferromagnet

V sd

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Rashba effect of surface states

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Surface states
potential for electrons in solids terminates at surface

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Surface states
potential for electrons in solids terminates at surface

bulk states (bands) and surfaces states (discrete!) exist

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Surface states
potential for electrons in solids terminates at surface

bulk states (bands) and surfaces states (discrete!) exist equilibration between bulk and surface: band bending!

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Giant Rashba effect at surfaces

structural inversion asymmetry due to surface could result in Rashba spin splitting of surface-state dispersions

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Giant Rashba effect at surfaces

structural inversion asymmetry due to surface could result in Rashba spin splitting of surface-state dispersions seen in ARPES for Au(111)
LaShell, McDougall & Jensen, PRL (96) Henk, Ernst & Bruno, PRB (03)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Giant Rashba effect at surfaces

structural inversion asymmetry due to surface could result in Rashba spin splitting of surface-state dispersions seen in ARPES for Au(111)
LaShell, McDougall & Jensen, PRL (96) Henk, Ernst & Bruno, PRB (03)

enhanced by surface alloying, eg, Bi/Ag(111) Ast et al. PRL (07) or Bix Pb1x /Ag(111) Ast et al. PRB (08)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Giant Rashba effect at surfaces

structural inversion asymmetry due to surface could result in Rashba spin splitting of surface-state dispersions seen in ARPES for Au(111)
LaShell, McDougall & Jensen, PRL (96) Henk, Ernst & Bruno, PRB (03)

enhanced by surface alloying, eg, Bi/Ag(111) Ast et al. PRL (07) or Bix Pb1x /Ag(111) Ast et al. PRB (08) enhanced surface potential and/or high-Z atom content?
Bentmann et al., Europhys. Lett. (09)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

STM detection of spin splitting

Ast et al., PRB (07)

STM measures electron density of states (DOS)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

STM detection of spin splitting

Ast et al., PRB (07)

STM measures electron density of states (DOS) DOS of Rashba-spin-split 2D electron system exhibits van-Hove-like divergence Winkler, Springer book (03)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

STM detection of spin splitting

Ast et al., PRB (07)

STM measures electron density of states (DOS) DOS of Rashba-spin-split 2D electron system exhibits van-Hove-like divergence Winkler, Springer book (03) measuring STM differential conductance dI/dV allows extraction of local spin-splitting energy (unlike ARPES)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures?

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies possibly can more easily create spin-splitting gradient by introducing a spatially varying surface alloying

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies possibly can more easily create spin-splitting gradient by introducing a spatially varying surface alloying can novel device geometries be achieved using nanostructuring of surface layers?

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies possibly can more easily create spin-splitting gradient by introducing a spatially varying surface alloying can novel device geometries be achieved using nanostructuring of surface layers? which novel experiments are possible using STM?

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies possibly can more easily create spin-splitting gradient by introducing a spatially varying surface alloying can novel device geometries be achieved using nanostructuring of surface layers? which novel experiments are possible using STM? image spin-dependent quantum-interference patterns
Pascual et al., PRL (04) Walls & Heller, Nano Lett (07)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1

Discussion
are there advantages of surface-state Rashba systems as compared with those in semiconductor heterostructures? accessibility to local (STM) studies possibly can more easily create spin-splitting gradient by introducing a spatially varying surface alloying can novel device geometries be achieved using nanostructuring of surface layers? which novel experiments are possible using STM? image spin-dependent quantum-interference patterns
Pascual et al., PRL (04) Walls & Heller, Nano Lett (07)

is graphite surface special (Dirac-electron quasiparticles)

6th Annual Clusters and Nanoparticles Meeting, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 30 Nov 1 Dec 2009 p. 1