Spin-orbit coupling assisted by flexural phonons in graphene

Abstract

We analyze the couplings between spins and phonons in graphene. We present a complete analysis of the possible couplings between spins and flexural, out-of-plane, vibrations. From tight-binding models, we obtain analytical and numerical estimates of their strength. We show that dynamical effects, induced by quantum and thermal fluctuations, significantly enhance the spin-orbit gap. © 2012 American Physical Society.