A. A. Rybkina

Surface spin-polarized currents generated in topological insulators by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation and their photoelectron spectroscopy indication

A new method for generating spin-polarized currents in topological insulators has been proposed and investigated. The method is associated with the spin-dependent asymmetry of the generation of holes at the Fermi level for branches of topological surface states with the opposite spin orientation under the circularly polarized synchrotron radiation. The result of the generation of holes is the formation of compensating spin-polarized currents, the value of which is determined by the concentration of the generated holes and depends on the specific features of the electronic and spin structures of the system. The indicator of the formed spin-polarized current can be a shift of the Fermi edge in the photoelectron spectra upon photoexcitation by synchrotron radiation with the opposite circular polarization. The topological insulators with different stoichiometric compositions (Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.8Se1.2 and PbBi2Se2Te2) have been investigated. It has been found that there is a correlation in the shifts and generated spin-polarized currents with the specific features of the electronic spin structure. Investigations of the graphene/Pt(111) system have demonstrated the possibility of using this method for other systems with a spin-polarized electronic structure.

Spin current formation at the graphene/Pt interface for magnetization manipulation in magnetic nanodots

Spin electronic structure of the Graphene/Pt interface has been investigated. A large induced spin-orbit splitting (∼80 meV) of graphene π states with formation of non-degenerated Dirac-cone spin states at the K¯-point of the Brillouin zone crossed with spin-polarized Pt 5d states at Fermi level was found. We show that this spin structure can be used as a spin current source in spintronic devices. By theoretical estimations and micromagnetic modeling based on the experimentally observed spin-orbit splitting, we demonstarte that the induced intrinsic magnetic field in such structure might be effectively used for induced remagnetization of the (Ni-Fe)-nanodots arranged atop the interface.

Out-of-plane polarization induced in magnetically-doped topological insulator Bi1.37V0.03Sb0.6Te2Se by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation above a Curie temperature

By means of angle- and spin-resolved photoemission, we demonstrate a possibility of the out-of-plane spin polarization of topological surface states and corresponding lifting of the Kramers degeneracy at the Dirac point induced in magnetically-doped topological insulator Bi1.37V0.03Sb0.6Te2Se by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation (SR) at room temperature. It has been shown that the induced out-of-plane polarization is created due to an “optically”-generated uncompensated spin accumulation with transferring the induced torque to the diluted V 3d ions. We have found theoretically a relation between the imbalance in depopulation of the Dirac cone states under photoexcitation, the generation of steady-state uncompensated spin accumulation and the induced magnetization that can be managed by the polarization of SR.

Induced Rashba splitting of electronic states in monolayers of Au, Cu on a W(110) substrate

The paper sums up a theoretical and experimental investigation of the influence of the spin–orbit coupling in W(110) on the spin structure of electronic states in deposited Au and Cu monolayers. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals that in the case of monolayers of Au and Cu spin–orbit split bands are formed in a surface-projected gap of W(110). Spin resolution shows that these states are spin polarized and that, therefore, the spin–orbit splitting is of Rashba type. The states evolve from hybridization of W 5d, 6p-derived states with the s, p states of the deposited metal. Interaction with Au and Cu shifts the original W 5d-derived states from the edges toward the center of the surface-projected gap. The size of the spin–orbit splitting of the formed states does not correlate with the atomic number of the deposited metal and is even higher for Cu than for Au. These states can be described as W-derived surface resonances modified by hybridization with the p, d states of the adsorbed metal. Our electronic structure calculations performed in the framework of the density functional theory correlate well with the experiment and demonstrate the crucial role of the W top layer for the spin–orbit splitting. It is shown that the contributions of the spin–orbit interaction from W and Au act in opposite directions which leads to a decrease of the resulting spin–orbit splitting in the Au monolayer on W(110). For the Cu monolayer with lower spin–orbit interaction the resulting spin splitting is higher and mainly determined by the W.

Specific features of the electronic, spin, and atomic structures of a topological insulator Bi2Te2.4Se0.6

The specific features of the electronic and spin structures of a triple topological insulator Bi2Te2.4Se0.6, which is characterized by high-efficiency thermoelectric properties, have been studied with the use of angular- and spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and compared with theoretical calculations in the framework of the density functional theory. It has been shown that the Fermi level for Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 falls outside the band gap and traverses the topological surface state (the Dirac cone). Theoretical calculations of the electronic structure of the surface have demonstrated that the character of distribution of Se atoms on the Te–Se sublattice practically does not influence the dispersion of the surface topological electronic state. The spin structure of this state is characterized by helical spin polarization. Analysis of the Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 surface by scanning tunnel microscopy has revealed atomic smoothness of the surface of a sample cleaved in an ultrahigh vacuum, with a lattice constant of ~4.23 Å. Stability of the Dirac cone of the Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 compound to deposition of a Pt monolayer on the surface is shown.

Effect of spin-orbit coupling on atomic-like and delocalized quantum well states in Au overlayers on W(110) and Mo(110)

The spin structure of quantum well states (QWSs) in three-monolayer-thick gold overlayers on W(110) and Mo(110) is studied experimentally by spin- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretically by ab initio calculations. The spin–orbit coupling effects manifest themselves differently in the spin structure of atomic-like d and delocalized sp QWSs depending on how strongly the states are influenced by the substrate. The QWSs of a d character show a strong spin polarization with an almost identical structure for W(110) and Mo(110), suggesting a weak interaction with the substrate, whereas for sp QWSs, the interaction is much stronger, which to a large extent determines their splitting and spin polarization. The theoretical model yields a qualitative agreement with the experiment and explains the observed behavior.

Electronic structure of graphene on Ni(111) and Ni(100) surfaces

A comparative investigation of graphene prepared by cracking of propylene (C3H6) on nickel surfaces with different orientations, Ni(111) and Ni(100), has been carried out using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. It has been shown that the graphene formed on the Ni(111) surface is well ordered on a large surface area, whereas the graphene on the Ni(100) surface has a well-defined domain structure. It has been found that the electronic structures of the two systems are similar to each other, and graphene is strongly bound to the nickel substrate. It has been demonstrated that the intercalation of a gold monolayer for the two systems leads to the formation of an electronic structure that is characteristic of quasi-free-standing graphene.

Spin polarization of quantum-well and interface states of ultrathin films of Bi on w(110) with Ag interlayers

The electronic and spin structure of quantum-well and interface states, formed in the system, consisting of bilayer of Bi on 1 ML Ag/W(110) was investigated by angle- and spin- resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been shown that interface states are formed in local surface-projected gap of W(110) and are characterized by spin polarization and spin-orbit splitting, corresponding to surface resonances with high density spin-polarized states near Fermi edge.

Dirac cone intensity asymmetry and surface magnetic field in V-doped and pristine topological insulators generated by synchrotron and laser radiation

Effect of magnetization generated by synchrotron or laser radiation in magnetically-doped and pristine topological insulators (TIs) is presented and analyzed using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. It was found that non-equal photoexcitation of the Dirac cone (DC) states with opposite momenta and spin orientation indicated by the asymmetry in photoemission intensity of the DC states is accompanied by the k||-shift of the DC states relative to the non-spin-polarized conduction band states located at k|| = 0. We relate the observed k||-shift to the induced surface in-plane magnetic field and corresponding magnetization due to the spin accumulation. The direction of the DC k||-shift and its value are changed with photon energy in correlation with variation of the sign and magnitude of the DC states intensity asymmetry. The theoretical estimations describe well the effect and predict the DC k||-shift values which corroborate the experimental observations. This finding opens new perspectives for effective local magnetization manipulation.