Beating-free quantum oscillations with strong spin-orbit and Zeeman interactions

Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations are the fingerprint of the Landau and Zeeman splitting level structure on the resistivity, serving as paradigmatic experimental probe. So far, no analytical description could be found for the vast majority of parameter space with Rashba, Dresselhaus and Zeeman terms present, seriously hampering the analysis of experimental data.

We bridge this gap by providing an analytical formulation over a broad range of parameter space [Candido et al., arXiv:2304.14327], and derive a simple condition for beating-free SdH oscillations a / b = [(1 – D) / 1 + D)]1/2, with D ~ g*m* a material parameter given by the ratio of Zeeman and Landau energies, Rashba coefficient a and linear Dresselhaus parameter b. This condition is notably different from that of the persistent spin helix at a = b for materials with large g* m* such as InAs or InSb.

We also predict beatings in the higher harmonics of the SdH oscillations and elucidate the inequivalence of the SdH response of Rashba- vs Dresselhaus-dominated 2DEGs with substantial g, finding excellent agreement with recent experiments. The new formalism builds the foundation for a new generation of quantum transport experiments in quantum materials with unprecedented physical insight and material parameter extraction.