Weak antilocalization in a 2D electron gas with the chiral splitting of the spectrum

TL;DR

This paper investigates how Rashba spin splitting affects quantum interference and conductivity in a 2D electron gas, revealing a crossover from localization to antilocalization and emphasizing the role of chiral splitting in Si-MOSFETs.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of chiral splitting on weak antilocalization in 2D electron gases, providing insights into the crossover regimes and the significance for Si-MOSFETs.

Findings

Small Rashba splitting causes a crossover from localization to antilocalization.

Large chiral branch separation leads to symplectic correction.

Chiral splitting is relevant for understanding conductivity in Si-MOSFETs.

Abstract

Motivated by the recent observation of the metal-insulator transition in Si-MOSFETs we consider the quantum interference correction to the conductivity in the presence of the Rashba spin splitting. For a small splitting, a crossover from the localizing to antilocalizing regime is obtained. The symplectic correction is revealed in the limit of a large separation between the chiral branches. The relevance of the chiral splitting for the 2D electron gas in Si-MOSFETs is discussed.