中国物理B ›› 2013, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (9): 97306-097306.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/22/9/097306

所属专题: TOPICAL REVIEW — Low-dimensional nanostructures and devices

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Proximity effects in topological insulator heterostructures

李晓光a b, 张谷丰b, 武光芬a, 陈铧c, 张振宇b d   

  1. a Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China;
    b International Center for Quantum Design of Functional Materials (ICQD)/Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale (HFNL), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China;
    c Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA;
    d School of Physics, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
  • 收稿日期:2013-08-16 出版日期:2013-07-26 发布日期:2013-07-26
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91021019, 51074151, and 11034006), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2010CB923401 and 2011CB921801), USDOE (Grant No. DE-FG03-02ER45958), US National Science Foundation (Grant No. 0906025), and the BES Program of US Department of Energy (Grant No. ER45958).

Proximity effects in topological insulator heterostructures

Li Xiao-Guang (李晓光)a b, Zhang Gu-Feng (张谷丰)b, Wu Guang-Fen (武光芬)a, Chen Hua (陈铧)c, Dimitrie Culcerbd, Zhang Zhen-Yu(张振宇)b   

  1. a Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China;
    b International Center for Quantum Design of Functional Materials (ICQD)/Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale (HFNL), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China;
    c Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA;
    d School of Physics, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
  • Received:2013-08-16 Online:2013-07-26 Published:2013-07-26
  • Contact: Zhang Zhen-Yu E-mail:zhangzy@ustc.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91021019, 51074151, and 11034006), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2010CB923401 and 2011CB921801), USDOE (Grant No. DE-FG03-02ER45958), US National Science Foundation (Grant No. 0906025), and the BES Program of US Department of Energy (Grant No. ER45958).

摘要: Topological insulators (TIs) are bulk insulators that possess robust helical conducting states along their interfaces with conventional insulators. A tremendous research effort has recently been devoted to TI-based heterostructures, in which conventional proximity effects give rise to a series of exotic physical phenomena. This paper reviews our recent studies on the potential existence of topological proximity effects at the interface between a topological insulator and a normal insulator or other topologically trivial systems. Using first-principles approaches, we have realized the tunability of the vertical location of the topological helical state via intriguing dual-proximity effects. To further elucidate the control parameters of this effect, we have used the graphene-based heterostructures as prototypical systems to reveal a more complete phase diagram. On the application side of the topological helical states, we have presented a catalysis example, where the topological helical state plays an essential role in facilitating surface reactions by serving as an effective electron bath. These discoveries lay the foundation for accurate manipulation of the real space properties of the topological helical state in TIbased heterostructures and pave the way for realization of the salient functionality of topological insulators in future device applications.

关键词: topological insulator, heterostructure, proximity effect, catalysis

Abstract: Topological insulators (TIs) are bulk insulators that possess robust helical conducting states along their interfaces with conventional insulators. A tremendous research effort has recently been devoted to TI-based heterostructures, in which conventional proximity effects give rise to a series of exotic physical phenomena. This paper reviews our recent studies on the potential existence of topological proximity effects at the interface between a topological insulator and a normal insulator or other topologically trivial systems. Using first-principles approaches, we have realized the tunability of the vertical location of the topological helical state via intriguing dual-proximity effects. To further elucidate the control parameters of this effect, we have used the graphene-based heterostructures as prototypical systems to reveal a more complete phase diagram. On the application side of the topological helical states, we have presented a catalysis example, where the topological helical state plays an essential role in facilitating surface reactions by serving as an effective electron bath. These discoveries lay the foundation for accurate manipulation of the real space properties of the topological helical state in TIbased heterostructures and pave the way for realization of the salient functionality of topological insulators in future device applications.

Key words: topological insulator, heterostructure, proximity effect, catalysis

中图分类号:  (Electronic structure of graphene)

  • 73.22.Pr
03.65.Vf (Phases: geometric; dynamic or topological) 73.40.-c (Electronic transport in interface structures)