Spin Hall effect modulated by an electric field in asymmetric two-dimensional MoSiAs2Se†
Abstract
Spin current generation from charge current in nonmagnetic materials promises an energy-efficient scheme for manipulating magnetization in spintronic devices. In some asymmetric two-dimensional (2D) materials, the Rashba and valley effects coexist owing to strong spin–orbit coupling (SOC), which induces the spin Hall effect due to spin-momentum locking of both effects. Herein, we propose a new Janus structure MoSiAs2Se with both valley physics and the Rashba effect and reveal an effective way to modulate the properties of this structure. The results demonstrated that applying an external electric field is an effective means to modulating the electronic properties of MoSiAs2Se, leading to both type I–II phase transitions and semiconductor–metal phase transitions. Furthermore, the coexistence of the Rashba and valley effects in monolayer MoSiAs2Se contributes to the spin Hall effect (SHE). The magnitude and direction of spin Hall conductivity can also be manipulated with an out-of-plane electric field. Our results enrich the physics and materials of the Rashba and valley systems, opening new opportunities for the applications of 2D Janus materials in spintronic devices.