Valley Polarization in Si(100) at Zero Magnetic Field
Abstract
The valley splitting, which lifts the degeneracy of the lowest two valley states in a SiO2/Si(100)/SiO2 quantum well, is examined through transport measurements. We demonstrate that the valley splitting can be observed directly as a step in the conductance defining a boundary between valley-unpolarized and -polarized regions. This persists to well above liquid helium temperature and shows no dependence on magnetic field, indicating that single-particle valley splitting and valley polarization exist in (100) silicon even at zero magnetic field.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- June 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.236801
- arXiv:
- arXiv:cond-mat/0604118
- Bibcode:
- 2006PhRvL..96w6801T
- Keywords:
-
- 73.21.Fg;
- 71.20.-b;
- 72.20.-i;
- 73.40.-c;
- Quantum wells;
- Electron density of states and band structure of crystalline solids;
- Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators;
- Electronic transport in interface structures;
- Condensed Matter - Mesoscopic Systems and Quantum Hall Effect;
- Condensed Matter - Materials Science
- E-Print:
- Accpeted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett