The role of spin-orbit coupling in topologically protected interface states in Dirac materials

Abstract

We highlight the fact that two-dimensional materials with Dirac-like low energy band structures and spin-orbit coupling will produce linearly dispersing topologically protected Jackiw-Rebbi modes at interfaces where the Dirac mass changes sign. These modes may support persistent spin or valley currents parallel to the interface, and the exact arrangement of such topologically protected currents depends crucially on the details of the spin-orbit coupling in the material. As examples, we discuss buckled two-dimensional hexagonal lattices such as silicene or germanene, and transition metal dichalcogenides such as MoS${}_2$.

8 pages, 2 figures

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Transport in two-dimensional topological materials: recent developments in experiment and theory
• Perfect Valley Filter in Topological Domain Wall
• Robust all-electrical topological valley filtering using monolayer 2D-Xenes
• Perfect valley filter based on topological phase in disordered $\mathrm{Sb}$ Monolayer Heterostructure
• Chiral properties of topological-state loops