Paper detail

Signatures of quantum mechanical Zeeman effect in classical transport due to topological properties of two-dimensional spin-3/2 holes

The Zeeman interaction is a quantum mechanical effect that underpins spin-based quantum devices such as spin qubits. Typically, identification of the Zeeman interaction needs a large out-of-plane magnetic field coupled with ultralow temperatures, which limits the practicality of spin-based devices. However, in two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor holes, the strong spin-orbit interaction causes the Zeeman interaction to couple the spin, the magnetic field, and the momentum, and has terms with different winding numbers. In this work, we demonstrate a physical mechanism by which the Zeeman terms can be detected in classical transport. The effect we predict is very strong, and tunable by means of both the density and the in-plane magnetic field. It is a direct signature of the topological properties of the 2D hole system, and a manifestation in classical transport of an effect stemming from relativistic quantum mechanics. We discuss experimental observation and implications for quantum technologies.