Tuning independently Fermi energy and spin splitting in Rashba systems: Ternary surface alloys on Ag(111)

Abstract

By detailed first-principles calculations we show that the Fermi energy and the Rashba splitting in disordered ternary surface alloys (BiPbSb)/Ag(111) can be independently tuned by choosing the concentrations of Bi and Pb. The findings are explained by three fundamental mechanisms, namely the relaxation of the adatoms, the strength of the atomic spin-orbit coupling, and band filling. By mapping the Rashba characteristics,i.e.the splitting and the Rashba energy, and the Fermi energy of the surface states in the complete range of concentrations. Our results suggest to investigate experimentally effects which rely on the Rashba spin-orbit coupling in dependence on spin-orbit splitting and band filling.

11 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Direct electronic measurement of the spin Hall effect
• Topological Change of the Fermi Surface in Low Density Rashba Gases: Application to Superconductivity
• Tunable spin-gaps in a quantum-confined geometry

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Unconventional dc transport in Rashba electron gases
• Tuning the spin texture in binary and ternary surface alloys on Ag(111)
• Unconventional transport in low-density two-dimensional Rashba systems
• Spin-orbit related power-law dependence of the diffusive conductivity on the carrier density in disordered Rashba two-dimensional electron systems
• Vertical bonding distances and interfacial band structure of PTCDA on a Sn-Ag surface alloy