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Topological insulator: Spintronics and quantum computations

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Abstract

Topological insulators are emergent states of quantum matter that are gapped in the bulk with time-reversal symmetry-preserved gapless edge/surface states, adiabatically distinct from conventional materials. By proximity to various magnets and superconductors, topological insulators show novel physics at the interfaces, which give rise to two new areas named topological spintronics and topological quantum computation. Effects in the former such as the spin torques, spin-charge conversion, topological antiferromagnetic spintronics, and skyrmions realized in topological systems will be addressed. In the latter, a superconducting pairing gap leads to a state that supports Majorana fermions states, which may provide a new path for realizing topological quantum computation. Various signatures of Majorana zero modes/edge mode in topological superconductors will be discussed. The review ends by outlooks and potential applications of topological insulators. Topological superconductors that are fabricated using topological insulators with superconductors have a full pairing gap in the bulk and gapless surface states consisting of Majorana fermions. The theory of topological superconductors is reviewed, in close analogy to the theory of topological insulators.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11874070), the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFA0305601), the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB28000000), and National Thousand-Young-Talents Program in China (Grant No. 8206100161).

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  1. International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Mengyun He, Huimin Sun & Qing Lin He

  2. CAS Center for Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Mengyun He, Huimin Sun & Qing Lin He

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He, M., Sun, H. & He, Q.L. Topological insulator: Spintronics and quantum computations. Front. Phys. 14, 43401 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11467-019-0893-4

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