Quantum anomalous Hall insulator phase in asymmetrically functionalized germanene

Autor: Arun Bansil, Zhi-Quan Huang, Yu-Ming Gu, Feng-Chuan Chuang, Zi-Zhong Zhu, Hsin Lin, Chia-Hsiu Hsu, Yimei Fang, Li Huang, Christian P. Crisostomo, Shunqing Wu
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Physical Review B. 96
ISSN: 2469-9969
2469-9950
Popis: Using first-principles computations, we discuss topological properties of germanene in buckled as well as planar honeycombs with asymmetric passivation via hydrogen and nitrogen (GeHN) atoms. GeHN in the planar structure is found to harbor a quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) insulator phase. Our analysis indicates that the buckled GeHN also possesses a QAH phase under tensile strain. We computed the associated Chern numbers and edge states to confirm the presence of the QAH state. In particular, chiral edge bands connecting conduction and valence bands were found at the edges of a planar zigzag GeHN nanoribbon. By considering a range of buckling distances, we demonstrate how the system undergoes the transition from the trivial to the QAH phase between the buckled and planar structures. Finally, we show CdTe(111) to be a suitable substrate for supporting buckled germanene in the QAH phase. Our results suggest that functionalized germanene could provide a robust QAH-based platform for spintronics applications.
Databáze: OpenAIRE