Controllable Valley Polarization Using Silicene Double Line Defects Due to Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling

Abstract

Abstract We theoretically investigate the valley polarization in silicene with two parallel line defects due to Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC). It is found that as long as RSOC exceeds the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC), the transmission coefficients of the two valleys oscillate with the same periodicity and intensity, which consists of wide transmission peaks and zero-transmission plateaus. However, in the presence of a perpendicular electric field, the oscillation periodicity of the first valley increases, whereas that of the second valley shortens, generating the corresponding wide peak-zero plateau regions, where perfect valley polarization can be achieved. Moreover, the valley polarizability can be changed from 1 to −1 by controlling the strength of the electric field. Our findings establish a different route for generating valley-polarized current by purely electrical means and open the door for interesting applications of semiconductor valleytronics.

Keywords

• Silicene
• Line defect
• Rashba spin orbit coupling
• Valley polarization