The Interplay of Rashba Spin-Orbit Interaction and Landau Level Broadening on a Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Under a Tilted Magnetic Field

A two-dimensional electron gas in a tilted magnetic field with Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) was studied. The RSOI is accredited to the asymmetry of the heterostructure where the two-dimensional electron gas is found. The effects of the disorder-attributed Landau level broadening and the RSOI on the spin splitting were identified by simulating the density of states which was assumed to take a Gaussian shape. Increased Landau level broadening obscures the spin splitting and increases the overlap between spin states resulting to stout Gaussian peaks. On the other hand, stronger RSOI amplifies the splitting and lessens the overlap between spin states of the Landau levels. The splitting, however, results to stouter peaks. The similarity in the RSOI and Landau level broadening effects can be explained by recognizing that the asymmetry of the heterostructure is in itself a form of structural disorder.