Experimental Discovery of Topological Insulators and Related Superconductors
- Princeton
Most quantum states of condensed matter are categorized by the symmetries they break. The remarkable discovery of charge Quantum Hall effects (1980s) revealed that there exists an organizational principle of matter based only on the topological distinctions, but in the presence of time-reversal symmetry breaking. In the past few years, theoretical developments suggest that new classes of topological states of matter might exist that are purely topological in nature in the sense that they do not break time-reversal symmetry, and hence can be realized without any applied magnetic field: "Quantum Hall-like effects without Magnetic Fields." This talk describes our discovery of new topologically ordered states of matter (topological insulators) and discusses the unusual electro-magnetic, spin, and superconducting properties this novel phase of quantum matter might exhibit and their potential applications.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- ACO2-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1007893
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: APS Colloquium Series, Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois (United States), presented on September 15, 2010
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Topological insulators, topological superconductors and Weyl fermion semimetals: discoveries, perspectives and outlooks
New classes of three-dimensional topological crystalline insulators: Nonsymmorphic and magnetic