Nonlocal edge state transport in the quantum spin Hall state

TL;DR

This paper provides experimental evidence of nonlocal, dissipationless edge channel transport in HgTe quantum wells exhibiting the quantum spin Hall effect, confirming theoretical predictions without external magnetic fields.

Contribution

It demonstrates direct experimental proof of nonlocal edge state transport in HgTe quantum wells, aligning with quantum spin Hall theory.

Findings

Nonlocal transport observed in HgTe quantum wells

Edge channels facilitate dissipationless spin transport

Experimental data matches theoretical models

Abstract

We present direct experimental evidence for nonlocal transport in HgTe quantum wells in the quantum spin Hall regime, in the absence of any external magnetic field. The data conclusively show that the non-dissipative quantum transport occurs through edge channels, while the contacts lead to equilibration between the counter-propagating spin states at the edge. We show that the experimental data agree quantitatively with the theory of the quantum spin Hall effect.