Tunable spin splitting and spin lifetime in polar WSTe monolayer

The established spin splitting with out-of-plane Zeeman spin polarizations in the monolayer (ML) of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is dictated by inversion symmetry breaking together with mirror symmetry in the surface plane. Here, by density functional theory calculations, we find that mirror symmetry breaking in the polar WSTe ML leads to large spin splitting exhibiting in-plane Rashba spin polarizations. We also find that the interplay between the out-of-plane Zeeman- and in-plane Rashba spin-polarized states sensitively affects the spin lifetime, which can be effectively controlled by in-plane strain. In addition, the tunability of spin splitting using an external electric field is also demonstrated. Our study clarifies that the use of in-plane strain and an external electric field is effective for tuning the spin splitting and spin lifetime of the polar WSTe ML; thus, it is useful for designing spintronic devices.