Zhang Jiawen, Hua Zhenqi, Wang Chengwei, Smidman Michael, Graf David, Thomas Sean, Rosa Priscila F S, Wirth Steffen, Dai Xi, Xiong Peng, Yuan Huiqiu, Wang Xiaoyu, Jiao Lin
Center for Correlated Matter, School of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Mar 25;122(12):e2417709122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2417709122. Epub 2025 Mar 20.
Introducing the concept of topology into material science has sparked a revolution from classic electronic and optoelectronic devices to topological quantum devices. The latter has potential for transferring energy and information with unprecedented efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a topological diode effect on the surface of a three-dimensional material, SmB[Formula: see text], a candidate topological Kondo insulator. The diode effect is evidenced by pronounced rectification and photogalvanic effects under electromagnetic modulation and radiation at radio frequency. Our experimental results and modeling suggest that these prominent effects are intimately tied to the spatially inhomogeneous formation of topological surface states (TSS) at the intermediate temperature. This work provides a manner of breaking the mirror symmetry (in addition to the inversion symmetry), resulting in the formation of [Formula: see text]-junctions between puddles of metallic TSS. This effect paves the way for efficient current rectifiers or energy-harvesting devices working down to radio frequency range at low temperature, which could be extended to high temperatures using other topological insulators with large bulk gap.
将拓扑学概念引入材料科学引发了一场从经典电子和光电器件到拓扑量子器件的革命。后者具有以前所未有的效率传输能量和信息的潜力。在此，我们展示了三维材料SmB[公式：见正文]（一种候选拓扑近藤绝缘体）表面的拓扑二极管效应。在射频电磁调制和辐射下，明显的整流和光电流效应证明了二极管效应。我们的实验结果和模型表明，这些显著效应与中间温度下拓扑表面态（TSS）的空间非均匀形成密切相关。这项工作提供了一种打破镜像对称（除了空间反演对称）的方式，导致在金属TSS水坑之间形成[公式：见正文]结。这种效应为低温下工作至射频范围的高效电流整流器或能量收集装置铺平了道路，利用具有大体能隙的其他拓扑绝缘体，这一应用范围可扩展到高温。
