Giant spin rotation under quasiparticle-photoelectron conversion: Joint effect of sublattice interference and spin-orbit coupling

Ferdinand Kuemmeth, E I Rashba

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)
593 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Spin- and angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy is a basic experimental tool for unveiling spin polarization of electron eigenstates in crystals. We prove, by using spin-orbit coupled graphene as a model, that photoconversion of a quasiparticle inside a crystal into a photoelectron can be accompanied with a dramatic change in its spin polarization, up to a total spin flip. This phenomenon is typical of quasiparticles residing away from the Brillouin-zone center and described by higher rank spinors and results in exotic patterns in the angular distribution of photoelectrons.
Original languageEnglish
Article number241409(R)
JournalPhysical Review B Condensed Matter
Volume80
Number of pages4
ISSN0163-1829
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2009

Cite this