Topological Crystals: From Fundamental Physics to Quantum Applications

Topological crystals are a revolutionary class of materials that exhibit unique electronic and physical properties due to their non-trivial topological band structures. These materials have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential applications in quantum computing, spintronics, and energy-efficient electronics.

The foundation of topological crystals lies in the concept of topological band theory. In conventional materials, the electronic band structure is characterized by the energy levels and the allowed wavefunctions of electrons. However, in topological crystals, the band structure possesses additional topological invariants that remain unchanged under continuous deformations of the system.

The topological invariants in crystals are often described by the Berry phase and Chern numbers. The Berry phase is a geometric phase acquired by the electron wavefunction as it traverses a closed loop in momentum space. The Chern number, on the other hand, is an integer that quantifies the topological character of the band structure. Materials with non-zero Chern numbers exhibit the quantum Hall effect and host topologically protected edge states.

The emergence of topological properties in crystals is intimately linked to the presence of certain symmetries and the strength of spin-orbit coupling. Time-reversal symmetry, inversion symmetry, and crystalline symmetries play crucial roles in determining the topological classification of materials. Strong spin-orbit coupling, which arises from the interaction between the electron's spin and its motion, is essential for realizing many topological phases, such as topological insulators and Weyl semimetals.

Topological crystals can be classified into several distinct categories based on their band structure and physical properties:

Topological insulators are materials that are insulating in their bulk but possess conducting surface states. These surface states are topologically protected, meaning they are robust against perturbations and disorder. The most well-known examples of topological insulators are Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and Sb2Te3, which have been extensively studied for their potential applications in spintronics and quantum computing.

Topological semimetals are materials with band crossings near the Fermi level, giving rise to exotic quasiparticles. Dirac semimetals, such as Na3Bi and Cd3As2, host massless Dirac fermions with linear dispersion. Weyl semimetals, like TaAs and WTe2, feature Weyl points in their band structure, which act as monopoles of Berry curvature. These materials exhibit unusual transport phenomena, such as the chiral anomaly and the anomalous Hall effect.

Higher-order topological insulators are a recently discovered class of topological crystals that host topologically protected states on lower-dimensional boundaries, such as hinges or corners. These materials expand the realm of topological physics beyond the conventional bulk-boundary correspondence and offer new possibilities for designing topological devices with unique geometries.

The synthesis and characterization of topological crystals require advanced techniques to control their composition, structure, and properties. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are commonly used to grow high-quality single crystals of topological materials. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are powerful tools for probing the electronic band structure and surface states of these materials.

Topological crystals hold immense potential for various applications in the fields of quantum computing, spintronics, and energy-efficient electronics. The topologically protected surface states and edge modes in these materials can be harnessed for developing fault-tolerant quantum bits (qubits) and low-power spintronic devices. The unique transport properties of topological semimetals make them promising candidates for high-performance thermoelectric materials and novel sensors.

As research in topological crystals continues to advance, new discoveries and materials are expected to emerge. The interplay between topology, symmetry, and correlations in these systems opens up exciting avenues for fundamental physics and materials science. The integration of topological crystals with other emerging technologies, such as 2D materials and superconductors, may lead to groundbreaking innovations in quantum technologies and energy applications.

Frontiers of Optoelectronics, Topological photonic crystals: a review

Nature Reviews Materials, Topological materials discovery from crystal symmetry

Laser & Photonics Reviews, Topological Photonic Crystals: Physics, Designs, and Applications