Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. / Balram, Ajit C.; Flensberg, Karsten; Paaske, Jens; Rudner, Mark S.

In: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 123, No. 24, 246803, 11.12.2019.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Balram, AC, Flensberg, K, Paaske, J & Rudner, MS 2019, 'Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces', Physical Review Letters, vol. 123, no. 24, 246803. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

APA

Balram, A. C., Flensberg, K., Paaske, J., & Rudner, M. S. (2019). Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. Physical Review Letters, 123(24), [246803]. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

Vancouver

Balram AC, Flensberg K, Paaske J, Rudner MS. Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. Physical Review Letters. 2019 Dec 11;123(24). 246803. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

Author

Balram, Ajit C. ; Flensberg, Karsten ; Paaske, Jens ; Rudner, Mark S. / Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. In: Physical Review Letters. 2019 ; Vol. 123, No. 24.

Bibtex

@article{6c7d63cb59ad43ef8ab29d4a1057eed3,
title = "Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces",
abstract = "Two-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) host gapless helical edge states that are predicted to support a quantized two-terminal conductance. Quantization is protected by time-reversal symmetry, which forbids elastic backscattering. Paradoxically, the current-carrying state itself breaks the time-reversal symmetry that protects it. Here we show that the combination of electron-electron interactions and momentum-dependent spin polarization in helical edge states gives rise to feedback through which an applied current opens a gap in the edge state dispersion, thereby breaking the protection against elastic backscattering. Current-induced gap opening is manifested via a nonlinear contribution to the system's I-V characteristic, which persists down to zero temperature. We discuss prospects for realizations in recently discovered large bulk band gap TIs, and an analogous current-induced gap opening mechanism for the surface states of three-dimensional TIs.",
author = "Balram, {Ajit C.} and Karsten Flensberg and Jens Paaske and Rudner, {Mark S.}",
note = "[Qdev]",
year = "2019",
month = dec,
day = "11",
doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803",
language = "English",
volume = "123",
journal = "Physical Review Letters",
issn = "0031-9007",
publisher = "American Physical Society",
number = "24",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces

AU - Balram, Ajit C.

AU - Flensberg, Karsten

AU - Paaske, Jens

AU - Rudner, Mark S.

N1 - [Qdev]

PY - 2019/12/11

Y1 - 2019/12/11

N2 - Two-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) host gapless helical edge states that are predicted to support a quantized two-terminal conductance. Quantization is protected by time-reversal symmetry, which forbids elastic backscattering. Paradoxically, the current-carrying state itself breaks the time-reversal symmetry that protects it. Here we show that the combination of electron-electron interactions and momentum-dependent spin polarization in helical edge states gives rise to feedback through which an applied current opens a gap in the edge state dispersion, thereby breaking the protection against elastic backscattering. Current-induced gap opening is manifested via a nonlinear contribution to the system's I-V characteristic, which persists down to zero temperature. We discuss prospects for realizations in recently discovered large bulk band gap TIs, and an analogous current-induced gap opening mechanism for the surface states of three-dimensional TIs.

AB - Two-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) host gapless helical edge states that are predicted to support a quantized two-terminal conductance. Quantization is protected by time-reversal symmetry, which forbids elastic backscattering. Paradoxically, the current-carrying state itself breaks the time-reversal symmetry that protects it. Here we show that the combination of electron-electron interactions and momentum-dependent spin polarization in helical edge states gives rise to feedback through which an applied current opens a gap in the edge state dispersion, thereby breaking the protection against elastic backscattering. Current-induced gap opening is manifested via a nonlinear contribution to the system's I-V characteristic, which persists down to zero temperature. We discuss prospects for realizations in recently discovered large bulk band gap TIs, and an analogous current-induced gap opening mechanism for the surface states of three-dimensional TIs.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31922820

AN - SCOPUS:85076507843

VL - 123

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

SN - 0031-9007

IS - 24

M1 - 246803

ER -

ID: 232491532