Published April 15, 2024 | Version v1
Journal article

Emerging spintronic and valleytronic phenomena in noncentrosymmetric variants of the Kane-Mele X4Y2Z6 materials family (X = Pt, Pd, Ni; Y = Hg, Zn, Cd; Z = S, Se, Te)

  • 1. Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
  • 2. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
  • 3. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
  • 4. College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China

Description

The realization of the Kane-Mele model in Xene solids faces challenges due to weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Nevertheless, the recently discovered X4Y2Z6 family (X=Pt, Pd, Ni; Y=Hg, Zn, Cd; and Z=S, Se, Te) offers a promising opportunity with larger SOC. However, the presence of centrosymmetry in this family hinders the achievement of several cross-coupling phenomena based on spintronics and valleytronics. This study explores a noncentrosymmetric version of the Kane-Mele family, X4YYZ6 and X4YY(ZZ)3, comprising over 16 experimentally accessible members. The results reveal intertwined phenomena involving topology, spin, and valley degrees of freedom, including the quantum valley/spin Hall effect, spin-valley locking, and spin-valley selective optical transitions. Additionally, Rashba coupling coexists with Ising spin splitting, enabling valley spin valve functionality and out-of-plane spontaneous electric polarization. Quantum valley Hall kink states can be achieved on the domain walls between these noncentrosymmetric monolayers due to opposite spin-valley Berry curvatures. External factors, like electric fields and strain, induce various topological phase transitions. This study lays the foundation for exploring spin-valley physics in low-dimensional topological materials with noncentrosymmetry.

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/PhysRevB.109.165424;
Crossref Funder ID
10.13039/501100001809; 10.13039/501100002855; 10.13039/501100023279;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review B
Journal Volume
109
Journal Issue
16
Journal Page Range
12 pgs.
ISSN
1550-235X

Optional Information

Copyright
©2024 American Physical Society
Contract/Grant/Project number
12350410367; QN2023030010L; ANSO-VF-2024-03
Notes
Contact Email: Corresponding author: majeedqau@live.com; Record automatically processed
Funding organization
National Natural Science Foundation of China; Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China; Alliance of International Science Organizations