Spin-Valley Locking in 2H-TaS₂ and Its Co-Intercalated Counterpart: Roles of Surface Domains and Co Intercalation

Tuning and probing spin-valley coupling is key to understanding correlated ground states in 2H-TaS₂. Its magnetically intercalated analogue, Co_1/3TaS₂, introduces additional degrees of freedom, including modified interlayer coupling and magnetism, to modulate spin-valley physics. Surface-sensitive probes like ARPES are essential for accessing surface spin texture, yet previous studies on 2H-TMDs have reported conflicting results regarding spin-polarized bands, leaving open whether these discrepancies are intrinsic or extrinsic. Here we performed spatially resolved spin-ARPES measurements on 2H-TaS₂ and Co_1/3TaS₂. Our results reveal robust spin-valley locking on both compounds. Importantly, Co intercalation enhances interlayer hybridization and introduces magnetism while preserving the TaS₂-derived spin texture. We further observe a spatial reversal of the out-of-plane spin polarization, which we attribute to different surface domains. This effect complicates quantifying spin textures and may underlie prior inconsistent observations. Our findings provide microscopic insight into how interlayer interactions and surface domains together govern spin-valley phenomena in layered TMDs.