Splitting the Hinge Mode of Higher-Order Topological Insulators

Physical Review Letters
Raquel Queiroz, Ady Stern

Abstract

The surface of a higher order topological insulator comprises a two-dimensional topological insulator (TI) with broken inversion symmetry, whose mass is determined by the microscopic details of the surface such as surface potentials and termination. It hosts a helical mode pinned to selected hinges where the surface gap changes its sign. We study the effect of perturbations that break time reversal and particle conservation on this helical mode, such as a Zeeman field and a proximate superconductor. We find that in contrast to the helical modes of inversion symmetric TIs, which are gapped by these couplings, the helical modes at the hinges can remain gapless and spatially split. When this happens, the Zeeman field splits the helical mode into a chiral mode surrounding the magnetized region, and a superconductor results in a helical Majorana mode surrounding the superconducting region. The combination of the two might lead to the gapping of one of the chiral Majorana modes, and leave a single one-dimensional chiral Majorana mode around the superconducting island. We propose that the different topological states can be measured in electrical transport.

References

Oct 26, 2005·Physical Review Letters·C L Kane, E J Mele
Dec 16, 2006·Science·B Andrei BernevigShou-Cheng Zhang
Jun 13, 2009·Physical Review Letters·Liang Fu, C L Kane
Jun 13, 2009·Physical Review Letters·A R AkhmerovC W J Beenakker
Apr 7, 2010·Physical Review Letters·Jeffrey C Y Teo, C L Kane
Apr 8, 2011·Physical Review Letters·Liang Fu
Aug 7, 2012·Nature Communications·Timothy H HsiehLiang Fu
Jul 6, 2017·Nature Communications·Anil MuraniSophie Guéron
Jul 8, 2017·Science·Wladimir A BenalcazarTaylor L Hughes
Dec 30, 2017·Physical Review Letters·Josias LangbehnPiet W Brouwer
Dec 30, 2017·Physical Review Letters·Zhida SongChen Fang
Jan 16, 2018·Nature·Marc Serra-GarciaSebastian D Huber
Jun 6, 2018·Science Advances·Frank SchindlerTitus Neupert
Oct 24, 2018·Nature Physics·Frank SchindlerTitus Neupert
Nov 24, 2018·Physical Review Letters·Chen-Hsuan HsuDaniel Loss

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 13, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Biao Huang, W Vincent Liu
Jan 18, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Raquel QueirozJennifer Cano
Feb 8, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Heqiu Li, Kai Sun
Aug 4, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Sayed Ali Akbar GhorashiEnrico Rossi
May 6, 2021·Nanomaterials·Longwen Zhou
Jul 24, 2021·Physical Review Letters·Chang-An LiBjörn Trauzettel

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.