Spin-dependent scattering induced by surface states in spin-degenerate nodal-line semimetal

Abstract

The topological nodal-line semimetal is characterized by the conduction band and valence band of electrons crossing along a one-dimensional line or closed loop in reciprocal space, with each nodal line carrying Π Berry phase. According to bulk-boundary correspondence, there exist drumheadlike surface states with weak dispersion at the boundary of system, surrounded by the projection of nodal loops onto the surface Brillouin zone. In most of nodal-line semimetals, the spin orbit coupling effect is weak, leading to the absence of a spin configuration for surface states under the single-particle picture. However, the featured weak dispersion of drumheadlike surface states enhances the electron-electron interaction effect, which triggers out ferromagnetic instability and causes spin splitting in the surface state. In this work, spin-dependent scattering caused by ferromagnetic surface states in spin-degenerate nodal-line semimetals is considered. It is found that both spin-splitting drumheadlike surface states can lead to resonant spin-flipped reflection. This physical process is reflected in a double-peak structure in the spin conductance spectrum. Specifically, we deal with the scattering problem induced by surface states in normal metal and nodal-line semimetal heterojunctions by using the scattering matrix and the Green’s functions theory, respectively, and obtain consistent conclusions. The result points out that spin-degenerate nodal-line semimetal surface states can still lead to spin-dependent transport, which provides a new perspective for the detection and potential application of spintronics in nodal-line semimetals.