Probing Proximity-Tailored High Spin-Orbit Coupling in 2D Materials

Proximity-induced tuning of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is of paramount importance in emerging magnetic materials and in spintronics. Probing the above SOC via light-matter interaction assisted methods provides a novel route to investigate interesting material phenomena. Here, the proximity studies in a heterostructure of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MS) and iron (Fe) to enhance and tune the interfacial SOC are reported. The augmented SOC of the MSFe heterostructure arises due to interfacial charge transfer, and is probed using magneto-optic Kerr effect and a novel optical technique utilizing the spin Hall effect of light. Measuring the changes in the state of polarization of light reflected from the sample via weak measurement provides direct access to the real and imaginary parts of the complex weak value and, hence, the underlying SOC and induced magnetic effects from a single experiment. The results obtained are confirmed using other experimental and simulation tools.