Edge mode percolation and equilibration in the topological insulator cadmium arsenide

Abstract Two-dimensional topological insulators can feature one-dimensional charge transport via edge modes, which offer a rich ground for studying exotic quasi-particles and for quantum materials applications. In this work, we use lateral junction devices, defined by nanoscale finger gates, to stud...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simon Munyan, Binghao Guo, William Huynh, Victor Huang, Susanne Stemmer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-11-01
Series:npj Quantum Materials
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-023-00602-6
Description
Summary:Abstract Two-dimensional topological insulators can feature one-dimensional charge transport via edge modes, which offer a rich ground for studying exotic quasi-particles and for quantum materials applications. In this work, we use lateral junction devices, defined by nanoscale finger gates, to study edge mode transport in the two-dimensional topological insulator Cd3As2. The finger gate can be tuned to transmit an integer number of quantum Hall edge modes and exhibits full equilibration in the bipolar regime. When the Fermi level of the channel crosses a Landau level, reflected modes percolate through the channel, resulting in an anomalous conductance peak. The device does not fully pinch off when the channel is tuned into the topological gap, which is a sign of remnant modes in the channel. These modes are expected from band inversion, while residual bulk conduction associated with the disorder potential may also play a role.
ISSN:2397-4648