The control of the double-slit silicene interferometer by the spin-Hall effect

Silicene [1] is a novel 2D-material similar to the graphene with buckled structure that provides spin-orbit coupling (SOC) which is a source of topological physics. In silicene zigzag nanoribbons for low Fermi energy the quantum spin Hall effect [2] occurs and the charge currents for both spin orientation flow along opposite edges of the ribbon. Here, we present an idea for the double-slit-interference device with one input lead that splits to double channels (Y-shape) based on the atomistic tight-binding approach [3]. The double channel is connected to an unconfined silicene half-plane with a third lead used as a detector. The double-slit interference can be detected with the external magnetic field that triggers the Aharonov-Bohm conductance oscillations only when the electron wave functions passes through both the arms of the split input channel. The Aharonov-Bohm oscillations are attenuated when the system is driven in the quantum spin Hall regime, when the wave functions passing through both the channels have opposite spins.

[1] S. Chowdhury and D. Jana, Rep. Prog. Phys. 79, 126501 (2016)
[2] C. L. Kane and E. J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 226801 (2005)
[3] C.-C. Liu, W. Feng, and Y. Yao, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 076802 (2011)