Giant momentum-dependent spin splitting in centrosymmetric low- Z antiferromagnets

The traditional bulk Rashba effect predicts spin-orbit coupling induced wave-vector-dependent spin splitting between energy bands in nonmagnetic solids that lack spatial inversion symmetry. The authors show here how the violation of magnetic symmetry leads instead to a few prototypes of momentum-dependent spin splitting of energy bands that are induced by antiferromagnetism. This discovery broadens the spintronics playing field to include centrosymmetric compounds, even made of light elements with low spin-orbit coupling. Atomistic density functional calculations show that giant splitting above 200 meV is possible between top two valence bands.

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1724791, DMR-1724791, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: -AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, DE-SC0010467, AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 61888102, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: AC02-05CH11231, -AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-SC0010467
• UO
  University of Colorado Boulder
• DO
  Division of Materials Research
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: DE-AC02, AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-SC0010467, -AC02-05CH11231