Transport in dissipationless one dimensional topological conductors

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Laurens W. Molenkamp
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2010 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 164558368

This module will focus on the study of edge state transport in HgTe quantum wells as well as in graphene, the two prototypical examples of the experimental implementation of Dirac Hamiltonians. While the density of states of both these systems yields a Dirac cone, the materials are topologically different in that the added valley degeneracy in graphene changes the system from a single to a double Dirac cone configuration. The goals of this module are to assess the similarities and differences in the transport properties which are engendered by these two Dirac formations. Moreover, the module aims to study means of realizing and detecting spin polarized transport in graphene based edge systems based on the use of Ferromagnetic contacts, and the theoretical ideas developed by the Richter group, and finally, based on the knowledge gained in these studies, to determine the potential of these systems for device applications.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 1483: Topological Electronics
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Hartmut Buhmann; Privatdozent Dr. Charles Gould