Manipulation of valley and spin properties in two-dimensional Janus WSiGeZ$_4$ (Z=N,P, As) through symmetry control

Abstract

A class of septuple-atomic-layer two-dimensional (2D) materials, MA$_2$Z$_4$, is sought as an alternative to 2D hexagonal transition metal dichalcogenides in the field of valleytronics and spintronics. In these materials, the structural symmetry can be varied by changing the stacking of its three parts in the monolayer. We show that in Janus monolayer WSiGeZ$_4$ (Z=N, P, As), the Berry curvature and Rashba effect are enhanced by modifying the stacking orders. Intrinsic electric field and composition of the d orbitals play a dominant role in determining these properties. The vertical field lifts the spin degeneracy along in-plane direction, inducing the Rashba effect around $\Gamma$ point. The in-plane orbitals under the influence of in-plane electric field contribute to the Zeeman splitting of bands at K/K' points. Berry curvature is strengthened by up to 300% compared to its ground state through symmetry control, along with a significant increment in the Rashba coefficient. Moreover, monolayer WSiGeP$_4$ and WSiGeAs$_4$ have multiple valleys, implying another valley-dimension. We construct a symmetry adapted k.p Hamiltonian for the valleys and investigate the effect of strain and electric field on the band structure. The interesting spin-valley physics in monolayer WSiGeZ$_4$ suggests their exceptional potential for spintronics and valleytronics applications.