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Register a new userDesign and realization of topological Dirac fermions on a triangular lattice
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Added by
Maximilian Bauernfeind
Publication date
2021
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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Large-gap quantum spin Hall insulators are promising materials for room-temperature applications based on Dirac fermions. Key to engineer the topologically non-trivial band ordering and sizable band gaps is strong spin-orbit interaction. Following Kane and Meles original suggestion, one approach is to synthesize monolayers of heavy atoms with honeycomb coordination accommodated on templates with hexagonal symmetry. Yet, in the majority of cases, this recipe leads to triangular lattices, typically hosting metals or trivial insulators. Here, we conceive and realize indenene, a triangular monolayer of indium on SiC exhibiting non-trivial valley physics driven by local spin-orbit coupling, which prevails over inversion-symmetry breaking terms. By means of tunneling microscopy of the 2D bulk we identify the quantum spin Hall phase of this triangular lattice and unveil how a hidden honeycomb connectivity emerges from interference patterns in Bloch $p_x pm ip_y$-derived wave functions.
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We study longitudinal electric and thermoelectric transport coefficients of Dirac fermions on a simple lattice model where tuning of a single parameter enables us to change the type of Dirac cones from type-I to type-II. We pay particular attention to the behavior of the critical situation, i.e., the type-III Dirac cone. We find that the transport coefficients of the type-III Dirac fermions behave neither the limiting case of the type-I nor type-II. On one hand, the qualitative behaviors of the type-III case are similar to those of the type-I. On the other hand, the transport coefficients do not change monotonically upon increasing the tilting, namely, the largest thermoelectric response is obtained not for the type-III case but for the optically tilted type-I case. For the optimal case, the sizable transport coefficients are obtained, e.g., the dimensionless figure of merit being 0.18.
Gauge fields are at the heart of the fundamental science of our universe and various materials. For instance, Laughlins gedanken experiment of gauge flux insertion played a major role in understanding the quantum Hall effects. Gauge flux insertion into a single unit-cell, though crucial for detecting exotic quantum phases and for the ultimate control of quantum dynamics and classical waves, however, has not yet been achieved in laboratory. Here, we report on the experimental realization of gauge flux insertion into a single plaquette in a lattice system with the gauge phase ranging from 0 to 2pi which is realized through a novel approach based on three consecutive procedures: the dimension extension, creating an engineered dislocation and the dimensional reduction. Furthermore, we discover that the single-plaquette gauge flux insertion leads to a new phenomenon termed as the topological Wannier cycles, i.e., the cyclic spectral flows across multiple band gaps which are manifested as the topological boundary states (TBSs) on the plaquette. Such topological Wannier cycles emerge only if the Wannier centers are enclosed by the flux-carrying plaquette. Exploiting acoustic metamaterials and versatile pump-probe measurements, we observe the topological Wannier cycles by detecting the TBSs in various ways and confirm the single-plaquette gauge flux insertion by measuring the gauge phase accumulation on the plaquette. Our work unveils an unprecedented regime for lattice gauge systems and a fundamental topological response which could empower future studies on artificial gauge fields and topological materials.
We report the optical conductivity in high-quality crystals of the chiral topological semimetal CoSi, which hosts exotic quasiparticles known as multifold fermions. We find that the optical response is separated into several distinct regions as a function of frequency, each dominated by different types of quasiparticles. The low-frequency intraband response is captured by a narrow Drude peak from a high-mobility electron pocket of double Weyl quasi-particles, and the temperature dependence of the spectral weight is consistent with its Fermi velocity. By subtracting the low-frequency sharp Drude and phonon peaks at low temperatures, we reveal two intermediate quasi-linear inter-band contributions separated by a kink at 0.2 eV. Using Wannier tight-binding models based on first-principle calculations, we link the optical conductivity above and below 0.2 eV to interband transitions near the double Weyl fermion and a threefold fermion, respectively. We analyze and determine the chemical potential relative to the energy of the threefold fermion, revealing the importance of transitions between a linearly dispersing band and a flat band. More strikingly, below 0.1 eV our data are best explained if spin-orbit coupling is included, suggesting that at these energies the optical response is governed by transitions between a previously unobserved four-fold spin-3/2 node and a Weyl node. Our comprehensive combined experimental and theoretical study provides a way to resolve different types of multifold fermions in CoSi at different energy. More broadly our results provide the necessary basis to interpret the burgeoning set of optical and transport experiments in chiral topological semimetals.
TaAs as one of the experimentally discovered topological Weyl semimetal has attracted intense interests recently. The ambient TaAs has two types of Weyl nodes which are not on the same energy level. As an effective way to tune lattice parameters and electronic interactions, high pressure is becoming a significant tool to explore new materials as well as their exotic states. Therefore, it is highly interesting to investigate the behaviors of topological Weyl fermions and possible structural phase transitions in TaAs under pressure. Here, with a combination of ab initio calculations and crystal structure prediction techniques, a new hexagonal P-6m2 phase is predicted in TaAs at pressure around 14 GPa. Surprisingly, this new phase is a topological semimetal with only single set of Weyl nodes exactly on the same energy level. The phase transition pressure from the experimental measurements, including electrical transport measurements and Raman spectroscopy, agrees with our theoretical prediction reasonably. Moreover, the P-6m2 phase seems to be quenched recoverable to ambient pressure, which increases the possibilities of further study on the exotic behaviors of single set of Weyl fermions, such as the interplay between surface states and other properties.
Several challenges in designing an operational Skyrmion racetrack memory are well-known. Among those challenges, a few contradictions can be identified if researchers were to rely only on metallic materials. Hence, expanding the exploration on Skyrmion Physics into oxide materials is essential to bridge the contradicting gap. In this topical review, we first briefly revise the theories and criteria involved in stabilizing and manipulating Skymions, followed by studying the behaviors of dipolar-stabilized magnetic bubbles. Next, we explore the properties of multiferroic Skyrmions with magnetoelectric coupling, which can only be stabilized in Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$ thus far, as well as the rare bulk Neel-type Skyrmions in some polar materials. As an interlude section, we review the theory of Anomalous (AHE) and Topological Hall Effect (THE), before going through the recent progress of THE in oxide thin films. The debate about an alternative interpretation is also discussed. Finally, this review ends with future outlooks about the promising strategies of using interfacial charge-transfer and (111)-orientation of perovskites to benefit the field of Skyrmion research.
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