Stabilizing Topological Phases in Graphene via Random Adsorption

Hua Jiang, Zhenhua Qiao, Haiwen Liu, Junren Shi, and Qian Niu
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 116803 – Published 11 September 2012
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Abstract

We study the possibility of realizing topological phases in graphene with randomly distributed adsorbates. When graphene is subjected to periodically distributed adatoms, the enhanced spin-orbit couplings can result in various topological phases. However, at certain adatom coverages, the intervalley scattering renders the system a trivial insulator. By employing a finite-size scaling approach and Landauer-Büttiker formula, we show that the randomization of adatom distribution greatly weakens the intervalley scattering, but plays a negligible role in spin-orbit couplings. Consequently, such a randomization turns graphene from a trivial insulator into a topological state.

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  • Received 16 April 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.116803

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Hua Jiang1,*, Zhenhua Qiao2,†, Haiwen Liu3, Junren Shi1, and Qian Niu2,1

  • 1International Center for Quantum Materials, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
  • 2Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
  • 3Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

  • *jianghuaphy@gmail.com
  • zhqiao@physics.utexas.edu

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 11 — 14 September 2012

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