In order to explain the anisotropic Rashba-Bychkov effect observed in several metallic surfacestate systems, we use k·p perturbation theory with a simple group-theoretical analysis and construct effective Rashba Hamiltonians for different point groups up to third order in the wavenumber. We perform relativistic ab initio calculations for the (• Bi/Ag(111) surface alloy and from the calculated splitting of the band dispersion we find evidence of the predicted third-order terms. Furthermore, we derive expressions for the corresponding third-order Rashba parameters to provide a simple explanation to the qualitative difference concerning the Rashba-Bychkov splitting of the surface states at Au(111) and Bi/Ag(111).
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