Towards the manipulation of topological states of matter: A perspective from electron transport

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in understanding and manipulating topological states of matter through electron transport, highlighting their exotic surface states and potential applications in spintronics and quantum computing.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive perspective on characterizing and controlling topological phases and discusses future research directions and applications.

Findings

Advances in electron transport characterization of topological phases

Identification of chiral and Majorana states in topological systems

Potential for topological states in spintronics and quantum computation

Abstract

The introduction of topological invariants, ranging from insulators to metals, has provided new insights into the traditional classification of electronic states in condensed matter physics. A sudden change in the topological invariant at the boundary of a topological nontrivial system leads to the formation of exotic surface states that are dramatically different from its bulk. In recent years, significant advancements in the exploration of the physical properties of these topological systems and regarding device research related to spintronics and quantum computation have been made. Here, we review the progress of the characterization and manipulation of topological phases from the electron transport perspective and also the intriguing chiral/Majorana states that stem from them. We then discuss the future directions of research into these topological states and their potential applications.