3 research outputs found
Chiral Spin Texture in the Charge-Density-Wave Phase of the Correlated Metallic Pb/Si(111) Monolayer
We investigate the 1/3 monolayer alpha-Pb/Si(111)) surface by scanning
tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and fully relativistic first-principles
calculations. We study both the high-temperature root 3 x root/3 and
low-temperature 3 x3 reconstructions and show that, in both phases, the
spin-orbit interaction leads to an energy splitting as large as 25% of
the valence-band bandwidth. Relativistic effects, electronic
correlations, and Pb-substrate interaction cooperate to stabilize a
correlated low-temperature paramagnetic phase with well-developed lower
and upper Hubbard bands coexisting with 3 x 3 periodicity. By comparing
the Fourier transform of STS conductance maps at the Fermi level with
calculated quasiparticle interference from nonmagnetic impurities, we
demonstrate the occurrence of two large hexagonal Fermi sheets with
in-plane spin polarizations and opposite helicities