Renormalization group approach for the scattering off a single Rashba impurity in a helical liquid

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • François Crépin - , University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Jan Carl Budich - , University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Fabrizio Dolcini - , Polytechnic University of Turin (Author)
  • Patrik Recher - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Björn Trauzettel - , University of Würzburg (Author)

Abstract

The occurrence of two-particle inelastic backscattering has been conjectured in helical edge states of topological insulators and is expected to alter transport. Here, by using a renormalization group approach, we provide a microscopic derivation of this process, in the presence of a time-reversal invariant Rashba impurity potential. We are able to prove that such an effect only occurs in the presence of electron-electron interactions. Furthermore, we find that the linear conductance as a function of temperature exhibits a crossover between two scaling behaviors, T4K for K 1/2 and T8K -2 for K<1/2, with K the Luttinger parameter.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number121106
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume86
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - 19 Sept 2012
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes