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Title: The topological insulator in a fractal space

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4882166· OSTI ID:22300053
; ;  [1]
  1. SKLSM, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 912, Beijing 100083 (China)

We investigate the band structures and transport properties of a two-dimensional model of topological insulator, with a fractal edge or a fractal bulk. A fractal edge does not affect the robust transport even when the fractal pattern has reached the resolution of the atomic-scale, because the bulk is still well insulating against backscattering. On the other hand, a fractal bulk can support the robust transport only when the fractal resolution is much larger than a critical size. Smaller resolution of bulk fractal pattern will lead to remarkable backscattering and localization, due to strong couplings of opposite edge states on narrow sub-edges which appear almost everywhere in the fractal bulk.

OSTI ID:
22300053
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English