A novel artificial condensed matter lattice and a new platform for one-dimensional topological phases.

ABSTRACT: Engineered lattices in condensed matter physics, such as cold-atom optical lattices or photonic crystals, can have properties that are fundamentally different from those of naturally occurring electronic crystals. We report a novel type of artificial quantum matter lattice. Our lattice is a multilayer heterostructure built from alternating thin films of topological and trivial insulators. Each interface within the heterostructure hosts a set of topologically protected interface states, and by making the layers sufficiently thin, we demonstrate for the first time a hybridization of interface states across layers. In this way, our heterostructure forms an emergent atomic chain, where the interfaces act as lattice sites and the interface states act as atomic orbitals, as seen from our measure

SUBMITTER: Belopolski I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5365246 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature