{
  "id": "1112.0597",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2011-12-02T22:37:49.000Z",
  "updated": "2011-12-02T22:37:49.000Z",
  "title": "Connectivity of edge and surface states in topological insulators",
  "authors": [
    "Yongjin Jiang",
    "Feng Lu",
    "Feng Zhai",
    "Tony Low",
    "Jiangping Hu"
  ],
  "journal": "Phys. Rev. B 84, p. 205324 (2011)",
  "doi": "10.1103/PhysRevB.84.205324",
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall"
  ],
  "abstract": "The edge states of a two-dimensional quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator form a one-dimensional helical metal which is responsible for the transport property of the QSH insulator. Conceptually, such a one-dimensional helical metal can be attached to any scattering region as the usual metallic leads. We study the analytical property of the scattering matrix for such a conceptual multiterminal scattering problem in the presence of time reversal invariance. As a result, several theorems on the connectivity property of helical edge states in two-dimensional QSH systems as well as surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators are obtained. Without addressing real model details, these theorems, which are phenomenologically obtained, emphasize the general connectivity property of topological edge/surface states from the mere time reversal symmetry restriction.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2011-12-02T22:37:49.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "subjects": [
      "73.61.Ng",
      "74.78.Na"
    ],
    "keywords": [
      "surface states",
      "topological insulators",
      "one-dimensional helical metal",
      "mere time reversal symmetry restriction",
      "edge states"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "publisher": "APS",
      "journal": "Physical Review B",
      "year": 2011,
      "month": "Nov",
      "volume": 84,
      "number": 20,
      "pages": 205324
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "adsabs": "2011PhRvB..84t5324J"
    }
  }
}