Spin-Orbit Coupling in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterobilayer Flat Bands

Louk Rademaker

doi:10.1103/physrevb.105.195428

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arXiv · 2111.06208

Spin-Orbit Coupling in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterobilayer Flat Bands

Louk Rademaker

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Abstract

The valence flat bands in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterobilayers are shown to exhibit strong intralayer spin-orbit coupling. This is reflected in a simple tight-binding model with spin-dependent complex hoppings based on the continuum model. A perpendicular electric field causes interlayer hybridization, such that the effective model is equivalent to the Kane-Mele model of topological insulators. The proposed model can be used as a starting point to understand interactions and the experimentally observed topological phases.

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Louk Rademaker. 2021-11-11. Spin-Orbit Coupling in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterobilayer Flat Bands. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.105.195428

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