The generation of spin-polarized electrons at room temperature is an essential step in developing semiconductor spintronic applications. To this end, we studied the electronic states of a Ge(111) surface, covered with a lead monolayer at a fractional coverage of 4/3, by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), spin-resolved ARPES and first-principles electronic structure calculation. We demonstrate that a metallic surface-state band with a dominant Pb 6p character exhibits a large Rashba spin splitting of 200 meV and an effective mass of 0.028 me at the Fermi level. This finding provides a material basis for the novel field of spin transport/accumulation on semiconductor surfaces. Charge density analysis of the surface state indicated that large spin splitting was induced by asymmetric charge distribution in close proximity to the nuclei of Pb atoms.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.