Weak (anti)localization in tubular semiconductor nanowires with spin-orbit coupling

Abstract

We compute analytically the weak (anti)localization correction to the Drude conductivity for electrons in tubular semiconductor systems of zinc blende type. We include linear Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and compare wires of standard growth directions $\langle100\rangle$, $\langle111\rangle$, and $\langle110\rangle$. The motion on the quasi-two-dimensional surface is considered diffusive in both directions: transversal as well as along the cylinder axis. It is shown that Dresselhaus and Rashba SOC similarly affect the spin relaxation rates. For the $\langle110\rangle$ growth direction, the long-lived spin states are of helical nature. We detect a crossover from weak localization to weak anti-localization depending on spin-orbit coupling strength as well as dephasing and scattering rate. The theory is fitted to experimental data of an undoped $\langle111\rangle$ InAs nanowire device which exhibits a top-gate-controlled crossover from positive to negative magnetoconductivity. Thereby, we extract transport parameters where we quantify the distinct types of SOC individually.