Valley selecting current partition at zero-line mode of quantum anomalous Hall topologies

TL;DR

This paper investigates valley-specific zero-line modes at interfaces in quantum anomalous Hall monolayer graphene, demonstrating how tuning parameters can control valley filtering and device functionalities.

Contribution

It introduces a method to selectively host zero-line modes in one or both valleys by tuning the exchange field, enabling valley-specific nano-device functionalities.

Findings

Zero-line modes can be confined to one valley at the interface.

Tuning exchange field creates three interface types with valley-specific modes.

Y-shaped junctions enable valley splitting, merging, and filtering.

Abstract

Topologically protected zero-line modes appear at the interface between two regions of the monolayer graphene in quantum anomalous Hall phase with different Chern number. In the presence of staggered sublattice potential, the band gaps of the two valleys become different, and the phase diagram defined by the Chern number has an additional regime of topologically trivial phase. The interface between the topologically trivial and non-trivial regions hosts zero-line mode in only one valley. By tuning the exchange field, three types of interface that host zero-line modes in selected valley(s) are formed. The nano-devices consisted of Y-shape junctions of the three types of interface exhibit the functions of valley splitting, merging or filtering for the incident currents.