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arXiv 1902.09807cond-mat.mes-hall
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时间反演对称性破缺揭示的拓扑保护

Topological protection brought to light by the time-reversal symmetry breaking

S. U. Piatrusha, E. S. Tikhonov, Z. D. Kvon, N. N. Mikhailov, S. A. Dvoretsky, V. S. Khrapai

摘要:

最近的拓扑能带理论区分电子带绝缘体的各种对称性和拓扑不变量,最常见的,时间反演对称性和$\rm Z_2$不变量。两个拓扑结构不同的绝缘体的界面拥有一类独特的电子状态-螺旋状态,它缩短了带隙的体积并表现出自旋动量锁定。螺旋电子的神奇和至今难以捉摸的性质,被称为拓扑保护,只要保持基本的对称性,就可以防止它们发生相干反向散射。在这里,我们提出了一个实验,揭示了拓扑保护的强度在一维螺旋边缘状态的$\rm Z_2$量子自旋霍尔绝缘体在碲化汞。在低温下,我们观察到微小磁场的巨大影响,导致电阻呈指数级增加,并伴有巨大的介观波动和间隙打开。这种教科书式的安德森局域化方案只出现在时间反演对称性破缺之后,首次直接证明了螺旋边缘态的拓扑保护强度。

英文摘要:

Recent topological band theory distinguishes electronic band insulators with respect to various symmetries and topological invariants, most commonly, the time reversal symmetry and the $\rm Z_2$ invariant. The interface of two topologically distinct insulators hosts a unique class of electronic states -- the helical states, which shortcut the gapped bulk and exhibit spin-momentum locking. The magic and so far elusive property of the helical electrons, known as topological protection, prevents them from coherent backscattering as long as the underlying symmetry is preserved. Here we present an experiment which brings to light the strength of topological protection in one-dimensional helical edge states of a $\rm Z_2$ quantum spin-Hall insulator in HgTe. At low temperatures, we observe the dramatic impact of a tiny magnetic field, which results in an exponential increase of the resistance accompanied by giant mesoscopic fluctuations and a gap opening. This textbook Anderson localization scenario emerges only upon the time-reversal symmetry breaking, bringing the first direct evidence of the topological protection strength in helical edge states.

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