Unexpected edge conduction in mercury telluride quantum wells under broken time-reversal symmetry

Eric Yue Ma, M. Reyes Calvo, Jing Wang, Biao Lian, Mathias Mühlbauer, Christoph Brüne, Yong-Tao Cui, Keji Lai, Worasom Kundhikanjana, Yongliang Yang, Matthias Baenninger, Markus König, Christopher Ames, Hartmut Buhmann, Philipp Leubner, Laurens W. Molenkamp, Shou-Cheng Zhang, David Goldhaber-Gordon, Michael A. Kelly and Zhi-Xun Shen ()
Additional contact information
Eric Yue Ma: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
M. Reyes Calvo: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Jing Wang: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Biao Lian: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Mathias Mühlbauer: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Christoph Brüne: Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg
Yong-Tao Cui: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Keji Lai: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Worasom Kundhikanjana: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Yongliang Yang: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Matthias Baenninger: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Markus König: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Christopher Ames: Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg
Hartmut Buhmann: Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg
Philipp Leubner: Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg
Laurens W. Molenkamp: Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg
Shou-Cheng Zhang: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
David Goldhaber-Gordon: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Michael A. Kelly: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Zhi-Xun Shen: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract The realization of quantum spin Hall effect in HgTe quantum wells is considered a milestone in the discovery of topological insulators. Quantum spin Hall states are predicted to allow current flow at the edges of an insulating bulk, as demonstrated in various experiments. A key prediction yet to be experimentally verified is the breakdown of the edge conduction under broken time-reversal symmetry. Here we first establish a systematic framework for the magnetic field dependence of electrostatically gated quantum spin Hall devices. We then study edge conduction of an inverted quantum well device under broken time-reversal symmetry using microwave impedance microscopy, and compare our findings to a non-inverted device. At zero magnetic field, only the inverted device shows clear edge conduction in its local conductivity profile, consistent with theory. Surprisingly, the edge conduction persists up to 9 T with little change. This indicates physics beyond simple quantum spin Hall model, including material-specific properties and possibly many-body effects.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8252

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