2014/06/11 by Xiaofeng Qian, Junwei Liu, Liang Fu +1 · 8 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.1126/science.1256815
published as Science 346, 1344-1347 (2014) · 22 pages, 10 figures, submitted in May 2014
arxiv created 2014/06/11 · arxiv updated 2014/12/16
We report a new class of large-gap quantum spin Hall insulators in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, namely, MX2 with M=(Mo, W) and X=(S, Se, and Te), whose topological electronic properties are highly tunable by external electric field. We propose a novel topological field effect transistor made of these atomic layer materials and their van der Waals heterostructures. Our device exhibits parametrically enhanced charge-spin conductance through topologically protected transport channels, and can be rapidly switched off by electric field through topological phase transition instead of carrier depletion. Our work provides a practical material platform and device architecture for topological quantum electronics.