Topological edge-state engineering with high-frequency electromagnetic radiationShow others and affiliations
2017 (English)In: Physical Review B, ISSN 2469-9950, E-ISSN 2469-9969, Vol. 96, no 20, article id 205127Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
We outline here how strong light-matter interaction can be used to induce quantum phase transition between normal and topological phases in two-dimensional topological insulators. We consider the case of a HgTe quantum well, in which band inversion occurs above a critical value of the well thickness, and demonstrate that coupling between electron states and the E field from an off-resonant linearly polarized laser provides a powerful tool to control topological transitions, even for a thickness of the quantum well that is below the critical value. We also show that topological phase properties of the edge states, including their group velocity, can be tuned in a controllable way by changing the intensity of the laser field. These findings open up the possibility for new experimental means with which to investigate topological insulators and shed new light on topological-insulator-based technologies that are under active discussion.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
American Physical Society, 2017. Vol. 96, no 20, article id 205127
National Category
Condensed Matter Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-62837DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.96.205127ISI: 000415169500002OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-62837DiVA, id: diva2:1160562
Funder
Swedish Research Council
Note
Funding Agencies:
Russian Academic Excellence Project "5-100"
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation 3.1365.2017/4.6 3.8884.2017/8.9 3.4424.2017/HM 3.2614.2017/4.6
Icelandic research fund (Rannis) 163082-051
RFBR Project 16-32-60040 16-32-60123
KAW foundation 2012.0031 2013.0020
eSSENCE
Horizon project NOTEDEV
Horizon project CoExAN 14.Y26.31.0015
2017-11-272017-11-272017-11-29Bibliographically approved