Orbital mapping of energy bands and the truncated spin polarization in three-dimensional Rashba semiconductors

Abstract

Associated with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and inversion symmetry breaking, Rashba spin polarization opens a new avenue for spintronic applications that was previously limited to ordinary magnets. However, spin polarization effects in actual Rashba systems are far more complicated than what conventional single-orbital models would suggest. By studying via first-principles DFT and a multi-orbital k.p model a 3D bulk Rashba system (free of complications by surface effects) we find that the physical origin of the leading spin polarization effects is SOC-induced hybridization between spin and multiple orbitals, especially those with nonzero orbital angular momenta. In this framework we establish a general understanding of the orbital mapping, common to the surface of topological insulators and Rashba system. Consequently, the intrinsic mechanism of various spin polarization effects, which pertain to all Rashba systems even those with global inversion symmetry, is understood as a manifestation of the orbital textures. This finding suggests a route for designing high spin-polarization materials by considering the atomic-orbital content.

arXiv comment13 pages, 3 fugures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Spin Mapping of Surface and Bulk Rashba States in Ferroelectric a-GeTe(111) Films
• Two-dimensional Square Buckled Rashba Lead Chalcogenides
• Symmetry-assisted protection and compensation of hidden spin polarization in centrosymmetric systems
• Double-Rashba materials for nanocrystals with bright ground-state excitons
• Enhancement of Giant Rashba Splitting in BiTeI under Asymmetric Interlayer Interaction
• Reconstructing the wavefunction of magnetic topological insulators MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 using spin-resolved photoemission