Anisotropic Kondo screening induced by spin-orbit coupling in quantum wires

E. Vernek, G. B. Martins, and R. Žitko
Phys. Rev. B 102, 155114 – Published 13 October 2020

Abstract

Using the numerical renormalization group method, we study a magnetic impurity coupled to a quantum wire with Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in an external magnetic field. We consider the low-filling regime with the Fermi energy close to the bottom of the band and report the results for local static and dynamic properties in the Kondo regime. In the absence of the field, local impurity properties remain isotropic in spin space despite the SOC-induced magnetic anisotropy of the conduction band. In the presence of the field, clear fingerprints of anisotropy are revealed through the strong field-direction dependence of the impurity spin polarization and spectra, in particular of the Kondo peak height. The detailed behavior depends on the relative magnitudes of the impurity and band g factors. For the case of an impurity g factor somewhat lower than the band g factor, the maximal Kondo peak suppression is found for a field oriented along the effective SOC field axis, while for a field perpendicular to this direction we observe a compensation effect (revival of the Kondo peak): The SOC counteracts the Kondo peak splitting effects of the local Zeeman field. We demonstrate that the SOC-induced anisotropy, measurable by tunneling spectroscopy techniques, can help to determine the ratio of Rashba and Dresselhaus SOC strengths in the wire.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
3 More
  • Received 10 July 2020
  • Revised 28 September 2020
  • Accepted 29 September 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.155114

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

E. Vernek1,2, G. B. Martins1,*, and R. Žitko3,4

  • 1Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38400-902, Brazil
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701-2979, USA
  • 3Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 4Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

  • *Corresponding author: gbmartins@ufu.br

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 15 — 15 October 2020

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review B

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×