Orientation-dependent Rashba spin-orbit coupling of two-dimensional hole gases in semiconductor quantum wells: Linear or cubic

Abstract

Our recent study [Phys. Rev. B 103, 085309 (2021)] verified the existence of $\bf{k}$-linear Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of two-dimensional hole gases in quantum wells (QWs) which originates from a combination of heavy-hole-light-hole (HH-LH) mixing and direct dipolar coupling to the external electric field. However, the Rashba SOC dependence on QW orientations remains unclear. Here, we explore this dependence on QW orientations and uncover an upper and lower bound to the orientation-dependent $\bf{k}$-linear Rashba SOC along the [110]- and [111]- crystalline directions by performing atomistic pseudopotential calculations associated with theoretical analysis. The intrinsic HH-LH mixing at the Brillouin zone center, maximal in [110]-oriented quantum wells and minimal in [111]- and [001]-oriented QWs, plays an essential role. Remarkably, we find that only $\bf{k}$-cubic Rashba SOC exists in [111]-oriented QWs. These findings help understand the physical mechanism of the Rashba SOC dependence on QW orientations and provide a strategic prediction for experiments to realize the large Rashba SOC.