Publication Date:
2016-10-05
Description:
Nature Physics 12, 920 (2016). doi:10.1038/nphys3774 Authors: Jan Raphael Bindel, Mike Pezzotta, Jascha Ulrich, Marcus Liebmann, Eugene Ya. Sherman & Markus Morgenstern As the Rashba effect is an electrically tunable spin–orbit interaction, it could form the basis for a multitude of applications, such as spin filters, spin transistors and quantum computing using Majorana states in nanowires. Moreover, this interaction can determine the spin dephasing and antilocalization phenomena in two dimensions. However, the real space pattern of the Rashba parameter, which critically influences spin transistors using the spin-helix state and the otherwise forbidden electron backscattering in topologically protected channels, is difficult to probe. Here, we map this pattern down to nanometre length scales by measuring the spin splitting of the lowest Landau level using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. We reveal strong fluctuations correlated with the local electrostatic potential for an InSb inversion layer with a large Rashba coefficient (∼1 eV Å). This type of Rashba field mapping enables a more comprehensive understanding of its fluctuations, which might be decisive towards robust semiconductor-based spintronic devices.
Print ISSN:
1745-2473
Electronic ISSN:
1745-2481
Topics:
Physics
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