Topological insulators and superconductors

Xiao-Liang Qi and Shou-Cheng Zhang
Rev. Mod. Phys. 83, 1057 – Published 14 October 2011

Abstract

Topological insulators are new states of quantum matter which cannot be adiabatically connected to conventional insulators and semiconductors. They are characterized by a full insulating gap in the bulk and gapless edge or surface states which are protected by time-reversal symmetry. These topological materials have been theoretically predicted and experimentally observed in a variety of systems, including HgTe quantum wells, BiSb alloys, and Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 crystals. Theoretical models, materials properties, and experimental results on two-dimensional and three-dimensional topological insulators are reviewed, and both the topological band theory and the topological field theory are discussed. Topological 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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  • Received 2 August 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.83.1057

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Xiao-Liang Qi

  • Microsoft Research, Station Q, Elings Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA and Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

Shou-Cheng Zhang

  • Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

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Issue

Vol. 83, Iss. 4 — October - December 2011

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