Bernevig B Andrei, Hughes Taylor L, Zhang Shou-Cheng
Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Science. 2006 Dec 15;314(5806):1757-61. doi: 10.1126/science.1133734.
We show that the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect, a state of matter with topological properties distinct from those of conventional insulators, can be realized in mercury telluride-cadmium telluride semiconductor quantum wells. When the thickness of the quantum well is varied, the electronic state changes from a normal to an "inverted" type at a critical thickness d(c). We show that this transition is a topological quantum phase transition between a conventional insulating phase and a phase exhibiting the QSH effect with a single pair of helical edge states. We also discuss methods for experimental detection of the QSH effect.
我们表明，量子自旋霍尔（QSH）效应，一种具有与传统绝缘体不同拓扑性质的物质状态，可在碲化汞 - 碲化镉半导体量子阱中实现。当量子阱的厚度变化时，电子态在临界厚度d(c)处从正常类型转变为“反转”类型。我们表明，这种转变是传统绝缘相和具有一对螺旋边缘态且表现出QSH效应的相之间的拓扑量子相变。我们还讨论了用于实验检测QSH效应的方法。
