Spin Entropy in Strain-Tuned Rashba Semiconductors
Abstract
Spin entropy plays an essential role in magnetic phase transition. In magnetic materials, spin ordering which embodies the electronic entropy of the materials can be described by the order parameters such as magnetization. For a nonmagnetic material, the spin magnetization is always zero thus it becomes impossible to use the same concept for entropy tuning or switching. However, if electron spins can be coupled to momenta, entropy may stem from the momentum ordering of electrons. In this project, we propose to switch spin entropy in nonmagnetic semiconductors by strain tuning of their inversion and mirror symmetries. The spin-momentum locking in polar and chiral semiconductors suggests an opportunity on harnessing the momentum degrees of freedom of electrons (or holes) on tuning spin entropy. The removal and creation of momentum-dependent spin polarized band structure could lead to a substantial change of electronic spin entropy (e.g. one expands the momentum space near conduction band minimum from the vicinity of a point in centrosymmetric non-Rashba semiconductor to a ring in 2D Rashba semiconductor, and to a shell in chiral semiconductor). In this project, we propose to use strain to switch the inversion and-or mirror symmetry of semiconductors allowing the tuning of electronic spin entropy. We will theoretically calculate and experimentally quantify the strain-symmetry-spin texture-chiral property-spin entropy relation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 29, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310310
Entities
People
- Jian Shi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- United States Air Force