Strain engineering of topological properties in lead-salt semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper predicts that strain in lead-salt semiconductors can induce topological phase transitions and tune surface state properties, offering new avenues for device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework showing how strain can induce topological phase transitions in lead-salt semiconductors and tune surface state characteristics.

Findings

Strain can induce topological phase transitions in lead-salt semiconductors.

Surface Dirac cones and edge state decay lengths are tunable with strain.

Strain engineering offers control over topological surface properties.

Abstract

Rock-salt chalcogenide SnTe represents the simplest realization of a topological insulator where a crystal symmetry allows for the appearence of topologically protected metallic states with an even number of Dirac cones on high-symmetry crystal surfaces. Related rock-salt lead chalcogenides have been predicted as well to undergo a phase-transition to a topological crystalline insulating phase after band inversion induced by alloying and pressure. Here we theoretically predict that strain, as realized in thin films grown on (001) substrates, may induce such topological phase-transitions. Furthermore, relevant topological properties of the surface states, such as the location of the Dirac cones on the surface Brillouin zone or the decay length of edge states, appear to be tunable with strain, with potential implications for technological devices benefiting from those additional degrees of freedom.