Interplay of Rashba and valley Zeeman splittings in weak localization of spin-orbit coupled graphene
Phys. Rev. B 113, 125306 – Published 20 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ymt3-48l9
Abstract
Weak localization theory is developed for graphene heterostructures with transition metal dichalcogenides and topological insulators where the Rashba and valley Zeeman spin splittings of the energy spectrum are large enough. The anomalous magnetoresistance in low fields caused by weak localization is calculated. It is shown that the valley Zeeman splitting has no effect on weak localization in the absence of Rashba splitting, but it results in the change of the magnetoconductivity sign in the Rashba-coupled graphene. Intervalley scattering also affects the quantum correction to the conductivity resulting in its sign reversal. Analytical expressions are obtained for the anomalous magnetoconductivity at arbitrary relations between the Rashba and valley Zeeman splittings as well as the intervalley scattering rates.
