Strong and Weak Topology Probed by Surface Science
Author | : Christian Pauly |
Publisher | : Springer |
Total Pages | : 172 |
Release | : 2016-01-22 |
ISBN-10 | : 9783658118112 |
ISBN-13 | : 3658118113 |
Rating | : 4/5 (12 Downloads) |
Download or read book Strong and Weak Topology Probed by Surface Science written by Christian Pauly and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-01-22 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christian Pauly demonstrates the strong topological properties of the technologically relevant phase change materials Sb2Te3 and Ge2Sb2Te5 by using two powerful techniques for mapping the surface electronic structure: scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In the case of a phase change material, this opens up the possibility of switching between an insulating amorphous and a conducting topological phase on nanosecond-time scales. Moreover, the author presents first experimental results of a weak topological insulator, namely on the bismuth-based graphene-like sheet system Bi14Rh3I9, revealing a topologically protected one-dimensional edge channel as its fingerprint. The edge state is as narrow as 0.8 nm, making it extremely attractive to device physics. Those strong and weak topological insulators are a new phase of quantum matter giving rise to robust boundary states which are protected from backscattering and localization.