Persistent spin helix on a diamond surface

Abstract

Abstract Using first-principles calculations, we determine the impact of hydroxyl (OH) termination on the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) coefficient and spin texture of diamond surfaces. The persistent spin helix (PSH) state is revealed in the OH-terminated diamond (111) surface. The value of coefficient PSH α PSH was 14.2 meV·Å, which is larger than that of the zinc-blende n-type quantum well of GaAs/AlGaAs. The large α PSH is caused by the asymmetric charge density distribution near the surface rather than the size of the atomic SOC. The large α PSH will ensure the wavelength of PSH (λ PSH ), which will aid in the miniaturization of spintronic devices.