Robust spin-polarized midgap states at step edges of topological crystalline insulators.
- Sessi P Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany. sessi@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de.
- Di Sante D Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Szczerbakow A Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland.
- Glott F Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Wilfert S Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Schmidt H Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Bathon T Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Dziawa P Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland.
- Greiter M Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Neupert T Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
- Sangiovanni G Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Story T Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland.
- Thomale R Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- Bode M Physikalisches Institut, Experimentelle Physik II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
- 2016-12-13
Published in:
- Science (New York, N.Y.). - 2016
English
Topological crystalline insulators are materials in which the crystalline symmetry leads to topologically protected surface states with a chiral spin texture, rendering them potential candidates for spintronics applications. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we uncover the existence of one-dimensional (1D) midgap states at odd-atomic surface step edges of the three-dimensional topological crystalline insulator (Pb,Sn)Se. A minimal toy model and realistic tight-binding calculations identify them as spin-polarized flat bands connecting two Dirac points. This nontrivial origin provides the 1D midgap states with inherent stability and protects them from backscattering. We experimentally show that this stability results in a striking robustness to defects, strong magnetic fields, and elevated temperature.
- Language
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- English
- Open access status
- green
- Identifiers
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- DOI 10.1126/science.aah6233
- PMID 27940869
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/134754
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