Topological phase transition coupled with spin-valley physics in ferroelectric oxide heterostructures

Abstract

The possibility to engineer the coupling of spin and valley physics is explored in ferroelectric oxide heterostructures with ${e}_{g}^{2}$ electronic configuration. We show that the polar structural distortion induces the appearance of spin-valley coupled properties, at the same time as being responsible for a topological transition from a quantum spin-Hall insulating phase to a trivial band insulator. The coupled spin-valley physics is affected by the topological band inversion in a nontrivial way; while the valley-dependent spin polarization of both conduction and valence bands is preserved, a change of the Berry curvature and of spin-valley selection rules is predicted, leading to different circular dichroic response as well as valley and spin Hall effects.