Engineering of robust topological quantum phases in graphene nanoribbons

Boundaries between distinct topological phases of matter support robust, yet exotic quantum states such as spin–momentum locked transport channels or Majorana fermions 1 – 3 . The idea of using such states in spintronic devices or as qubits in quantum information technology is a strong driver of cur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) Vol. 560; no. 7717; pp. 209 - 213
Main Authors: Gröning, Oliver, Wang, Shiyong, Yao, Xuelin, Pignedoli, Carlo A., Borin Barin, Gabriela, Daniels, Colin, Cupo, Andrew, Meunier, Vincent, Feng, Xinliang, Narita, Akimitsu, Müllen, Klaus, Ruffieux, Pascal, Fasel, Roman
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.08.2018
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects:
639/766/119/2792/4128
639/766/119/995
639/925/918/1052
639/925/918/1055
Atoms
Condensed matter physics
Energy
Graphene
Graphite
Humanities and Social Sciences
Information technology
Letter
multidisciplinary
Nanomaterials
Nanoribbons
Nanotechnology
Phases
Photonics
Polyacetylene
Properties
Quantum phenomena
Qubits (quantum computing)
Robustness
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Solitons
Spectrum analysis
Superconductors
Topological insulators
ISSN:0028-0836, 1476-4687, 1476-4687
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Boundaries between distinct topological phases of matter support robust, yet exotic quantum states such as spin–momentum locked transport channels or Majorana fermions 1 – 3 . The idea of using such states in spintronic devices or as qubits in quantum information technology is a strong driver of current research in condensed matter physics 4 – 6 . The topological properties of quantum states have helped to explain the conductivity of doped trans -polyacetylene in terms of dispersionless soliton states 7 – 9 . In their seminal paper, Su, Schrieffer and Heeger (SSH) described these exotic quantum states using a one-dimensional tight-binding model 10 , 11 . Because the SSH model describes chiral topological insulators, charge fractionalization and spin–charge separation in one dimension, numerous efforts have been made to realize the SSH Hamiltonian in cold-atom, photonic and acoustic experimental configurations 12 – 14 . It is, however, desirable to rationally engineer topological electronic phases into stable and processable materials to exploit the corresponding quantum states. Here we present a flexible strategy based on atomically precise graphene nanoribbons to design robust nanomaterials exhibiting the valence electronic structures described by the SSH Hamiltonian 15 – 17 . We demonstrate the controlled periodic coupling of topological boundary states 18 at junctions of graphene nanoribbons with armchair edges to create quasi-one-dimensional trivial and non-trivial electronic quantum phases. This strategy has the potential to tune the bandwidth of the topological electronic bands close to the energy scale of proximity-induced spin–orbit coupling 19 or superconductivity 20 , and may allow the realization of Kitaev-like Hamiltonians 3 and Majorana-type end states 21 . Graphene nanoribbons are used to design robust nanomaterials with controlled periodic coupling of topological boundary states to create quasi-one-dimensional trivial and non-trivial electronic quantum phases.
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ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/s41586-018-0375-9