Journal
PHYSICAL REVIEW B
Volume 79, Issue 16, Pages -Publisher
AMER PHYSICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.79.165442
Keywords
conduction bands; graphene; magnetisation; nanostructured materials; spin-orbit interactions; tight-binding calculations; valence bands
Funding
- NSF [DMR 0710581, PHY05-51164]
- Ohio University BNNT funds
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We investigate the effects of Rashba spin-orbit (RSO) interactions on the electronic band structure and corresponding wave functions of graphene. By exactly solving a tight-binding model Hamiltonian we obtain the expected splitting of the bands-due to the SU(2) spin symmetry breaking-that is accompanied by the appearance of additional Dirac points. These points are originated by valence-conduction-band crossings. By introducing a convenient gauge transformation we study a model for zigzag nanoribbons with RSO interactions. We show that RSO interactions lift the quasidegeneracy of the edge band while introducing a state-dependent spin separation in real space. Calculation of the average magnetization perpendicular to the ribbon plane suggest that RSO could be used to produce spin-polarized currents. Comparisons with the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction proposed to exist in graphene are also presented.
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