Field-induced ultrafast modulation of Rashba coupling at room temperature in ferroelectric α-GeTe(111)

Geoffroy Kremer (), Julian Maklar, Laurent Nicolaï, Christopher W. Nicholson, Changming Yue, Caio Silva, Philipp Werner, J. Hugo Dil, Juraj Krempaský, Gunther Springholz, Ralph Ernstorfer, Jan Minár (), Laurenz Rettig and Claude Monney
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Geoffroy Kremer: Université de Fribourg
Julian Maklar: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
Laurent Nicolaï: New Technologies-Research Center University of West Bohemia
Christopher W. Nicholson: Université de Fribourg
Changming Yue: Université de Fribourg
Caio Silva: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
Philipp Werner: Université de Fribourg
J. Hugo Dil: Paul Scherrer Institut
Juraj Krempaský: Paul Scherrer Institut
Gunther Springholz: Johannes Kepler Universität
Ralph Ernstorfer: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
Jan Minár: New Technologies-Research Center University of West Bohemia
Laurenz Rettig: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
Claude Monney: Université de Fribourg

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Rashba materials have appeared as an ideal playground for spin-to-charge conversion in prototype spintronics devices. Among them, α-GeTe(111) is a non-centrosymmetric ferroelectric semiconductor for which a strong spin-orbit interaction gives rise to giant Rashba coupling. Its room temperature ferroelectricity was recently demonstrated as a route towards a new type of highly energy-efficient non-volatile memory device based on switchable polarization. Currently based on the application of an electric field, the writing and reading processes could be outperformed by the use of femtosecond light pulses requiring exploration of the possible control of ferroelectricity on this timescale. Here, we probe the room temperature transient dynamics of the electronic band structure of α-GeTe(111) using time and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our experiments reveal an ultrafast modulation of the Rashba coupling mediated on the fs timescale by a surface photovoltage, namely an increase corresponding to a 13% enhancement of the lattice distortion. This opens the route for the control of the ferroelectric polarization in α-GeTe(111) and ferroelectric semiconducting materials in quantum heterostructures.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33978-3

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