Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection
We show that hybrid structures of topological insulators (TI) and materials without topological protection can be employed to create perfectly conducting channels (PCCs) hosted in the non-topological part. These states inherit the topological protection from the proximity of the TI but are more frag...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
IOP Publishing
2014-01-01
|
Series: | New Journal of Physics |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/16/11/113058 |
_version_ | 1797751554505179136 |
---|---|
author | Sven Essert Viktor Krueckl Klaus Richter |
author_facet | Sven Essert Viktor Krueckl Klaus Richter |
author_sort | Sven Essert |
collection | DOAJ |
description | We show that hybrid structures of topological insulators (TI) and materials without topological protection can be employed to create perfectly conducting channels (PCCs) hosted in the non-topological part. These states inherit the topological protection from the proximity of the TI but are more fragile to time-reversal symmetry breaking because of their extended character. We explore their formation in the band structure of model hybrid systems as well as realistic heterostructures involving HgTe/CdTe-based two-dimensional TIs and show how their appearance can be understood in terms of an effective boundary condition. Using numerical quantum transport calculations for the HgTe/CdTe material system we propose two experimental settings which allow for the detection of the induced PCCs, both in the localized and diffusive regime, by means of magneto conductance and shot noise. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:51:11Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-ff26e36f1b6f490da35a3508e4320bf1 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1367-2630 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:51:11Z |
publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
publisher | IOP Publishing |
record_format | Article |
series | New Journal of Physics |
spelling | doaj.art-ff26e36f1b6f490da35a3508e4320bf12023-08-08T11:21:52ZengIOP PublishingNew Journal of Physics1367-26302014-01-01161111305810.1088/1367-2630/16/11/113058Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protectionSven Essert0Viktor Krueckl1Klaus Richter2Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg , D-93040 Regensburg, GermanyInstitut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg , D-93040 Regensburg, GermanyInstitut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg , D-93040 Regensburg, GermanyWe show that hybrid structures of topological insulators (TI) and materials without topological protection can be employed to create perfectly conducting channels (PCCs) hosted in the non-topological part. These states inherit the topological protection from the proximity of the TI but are more fragile to time-reversal symmetry breaking because of their extended character. We explore their formation in the band structure of model hybrid systems as well as realistic heterostructures involving HgTe/CdTe-based two-dimensional TIs and show how their appearance can be understood in terms of an effective boundary condition. Using numerical quantum transport calculations for the HgTe/CdTe material system we propose two experimental settings which allow for the detection of the induced PCCs, both in the localized and diffusive regime, by means of magneto conductance and shot noise.https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/16/11/113058topological insulatorsheterostructuresperfectly conducting channelboundary conditionstransport72.10.-d |
spellingShingle | Sven Essert Viktor Krueckl Klaus Richter Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection New Journal of Physics topological insulators heterostructures perfectly conducting channel boundary conditions transport 72.10.-d |
title | Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
title_full | Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
title_fullStr | Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
title_full_unstemmed | Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
title_short | Using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
title_sort | using topological insulator proximity to generate perfectly conducting channels in materials without topological protection |
topic | topological insulators heterostructures perfectly conducting channel boundary conditions transport 72.10.-d |
url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/16/11/113058 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT svenessert usingtopologicalinsulatorproximitytogenerateperfectlyconductingchannelsinmaterialswithouttopologicalprotection AT viktorkrueckl usingtopologicalinsulatorproximitytogenerateperfectlyconductingchannelsinmaterialswithouttopologicalprotection AT klausrichter usingtopologicalinsulatorproximitytogenerateperfectlyconductingchannelsinmaterialswithouttopologicalprotection |