Unbalanced edge modes and topological phase transition in gated trilayer graphene
arXiv:1203.4033 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.85.201404
Abstract
Gapless edge modes hosted by chirally-stacked trilayer graphene display unique features when a bulk gap is opened by applying an interlayer potential difference. We show that trilayer graphene with half-integer valley Hall conductivity leads to unbalanced edge modes at opposite zigzag boundaries, resulting in a natural valley current polarizer. This unusual characteristic is preserved in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling that turns a gated trilayer graphene into a topological insulator with an odd number of helical edge mode pairs.
5 pages, 4 figures
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