Coexistence of Rashba Effect and Spin-valley Coupling in TiX2 (X= Te, S and Se) based Heterostructures

TL;DR

This study explores the coexistence of Rashba effect and spin-valley coupling in TiX2 heterostructures, demonstrating how F adatoms can enhance spin splitting and induce valley polarization for potential spintronic applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of Rashba and spin-valley effects in TiX2 heterostructures and shows how F adatoms can control spin and valley properties.

Findings

TiSe2/TiS2 heterostructure exhibits significant Rashba splitting.

F adatoms enhance Rashba and Zeeman splitting.

Valley polarization confirmed by Berry curvature analysis.

Abstract

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) combined with broken inversion symmetry play key roles in inducing Rashba effect. The combined spontaneous polarization and Rashba effect enable controlling a material's spin degrees of freedom electrically. In this work we investigated the electronic band structure for several combinations of TiX2 monolayers (X= Te, S and Se): TiTe2/TiSe2, TiTe2/TiS2, and TiSe2/TiS2. Based on the observed orbital hybridization between the different monolayers in these hetero-structures (HSs), we conclude that the most significant Rashba splitting occurs in TiSe2/TiS2. Subsequently, we used Fluorine (F) as an adatom over the surface of TiSe2/TiS2 at hollow and top sites of the surface to enhance the Rashba intensity, as the F adatom induces polarization due to difference in charge distribution. Furthermore, by increasing the number of F atoms on the surface, we reinforced the band splitting, i.e., we observe Rashba splitting accompanied by Zeeman splitting at the valence-band edge states. Berry curvatures at K and K' with equal and opposite nature confirms the existence of valley polarization. The computationally observed properties suggest that these HSs are promising candidates for spin-valley Hall effect devices and other spintronic applications.