Weak (anti)localization in tubular semiconductor nanowires with spin-orbit coupling

We compute analytically the weak (anti)localization correction to the Drude conductivity for electrons in tubular semiconductor systems of zinc blende type. We include linear Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and compare wires of standard growth directions $⟨100⟩$, $⟨111⟩$, and $⟨110⟩$. The motion on the quasi-two-dimensional surface is considered diffusive in both directions: transversal as well as along the cylinder axis. It is shown that Dresselhaus and Rashba SOC similarly affect the spin relaxation rates. For the $⟨110⟩$ growth direction, the long-lived spin states are of helical nature. We detect a crossover from weak localization to weak anti-localization depending on spin-orbit coupling strength as well as dephasing and scattering rate. The theory is fitted to experimental data of an undoped $⟨111⟩$ InAs nanowire device which exhibits a top-gate-controlled crossover from positive to negative magnetoconductivity. Thereby, we extract transport parameters where we quantify the distinct types of SOC individually.