Nanowerk August 22, 2023
In topological materials the interaction between the bulk state and edge states can be tuned to manipulate edge transport behavior, especially in topological crystalline insulators (TCI) which have multiple degrees of topological protection. This can open opportunities for novel electronic and spintronic applications. Researchers in Australia investigated how bulk-edge interactions can influence the edge transport in planar bismuthene, a TCI with metallic edge states protected by in-plane mirror symmetry. By exploring the impact of various perturbation effects, such as device size, substrate potentials, and applied transverse electric field, they examined the evolution of the electronic structure and edge transport in planar bismuthene. Their findings demonstrated that the TCI states of planar bismuthene can be engineered to exhibit either a gapped or conducting unconventional helical spin texture via a combination of substrate and electric field effects. Under strong electric fields, the edge states could be stabilized through a delicate control of the bulk-edge interactions. According to the researchers their results open new directions for discovering novel spin transport patterns in topological materials and provide critical insights for the fabrication of topological spintronic devices… read more.
TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Graphical abstract. Credit: Materials Today Physics, Volume 36, August 2023, 101168