Physics (Internal)

Probing Topological Phases by Materials Design

This event is part of the Biophysics/Condensed Matter Seminar Series.

Abstract: Topological Insulators (TIs) are a newly discovered class of materials in which symmetry-protected conducting modes exist on the surface of a bulk insulator. They hold promise for realizing a variety of fundamentally interesting and technologically relevant electronic phases, ranging from quantized magnetoelectric effects to device structures that support extremely high thermoelectric performance. Surprisingly, removing symmetries from these materials – including those that underlie their fundamental protection – has proven to be on the most incisive ways of examining TIs and reaching towards these exotic electronic behaviors. I will discuss our materials oriented approach to breaking symmetry in TIs and the new behavior is has uncovered with a focus on emergent quantum Hall phases.