Hole dynamics in a two-dimensional spin-orbit coupled electron system: Theoretical and experimental study of the Au(111) surface state

Abstract

Using the example of the Au(111) surface state, the hole inelastic lifetime in a two-dimensional electron system with spin-orbit interaction is investigated within the GW approximation. It is found that taking the spin-orbit interaction into account does not have a significant impact on the surface-state linewidth as a function of energy: for a given binding energy the two spin-orbit-split branches have nearly the same lifetimes. This trend is also observed in angle-resolved photoemission measurements. It is predicted that noticeable differences in the lifetimes of the split branches can be induced by tuning the strength of the splitting and the position of the Fermi level.