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The discovery of two- and three-dimensional topological insulators (TI) has brought to light a new state of quantum matter. TIs are insulating in the bulk but have topologically protected edge and surface states. Topology dictates that these metallic surface states are spin-locked: electrons with opposite spin counterpropagate at the sample boundaries. Starting out from the recent synthesis of Bi14Rh3I9 [1] - a TI consisting of stacks of graphene-like bismuth based layers - we analyze the electronic characteristics of the topologically protected edge states in graphene-like materials and demonstrate their fundamental differences at their zig-zag and armchair terminations [2]. We will also show how such a surface termination dependence of topological surface states naturally arises in the entirely different family of inverted cubic mercury chalcogenide semiconductors with zincblende crystal structure [3]. References: [1] B. Rasche, A. Isaeva, M. Ruck, S. Borisenko, V. Zabolotnyy, B. Buchner, K. Koepernik, C. Ortix, M. Richer, J. van den Brink, Nature Materials 10.1038/nmat3570 [2] L. Cano-Cortes, C. Ortix, J. van den Brink arXiv:1303.2252 [3] C.Ortix, J.W.F. Venderbos, R. Hayn, J. van den Brink arXiv:1307.2698 |
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