Electromagnetic coupling and transport in a topological insulator-graphene hetero-structure

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electromagnetic interactions between a topological insulator and graphene influence electrical conductivity, highlighting the effects of topological properties and dielectric permittivity in heterostructures.

Contribution

It introduces a study of electromagnetic coupling in TI-graphene heterostructures, emphasizing the role of topological magneto-electric effects and dielectric properties on conductivity.

Findings

Topological magneto-electric polarizability affects graphene conductivity.

Dielectric permittivity of the TI influences charge transport.

Electromagnetic coupling modifies electrical properties at finite temperatures.

Abstract

The electromagnetic coupling between hetero-structures made of different materials is of great interest, both from the perspective of discovering new phenomena, as well as for its potential applications in novel devices. In this work, we study the electromagnetic coupling of a hetero-structure made of a topological insulator (TI) slab and a single graphene layer, where the later presents a diluted concentration of ionized impurities. We explore the topological effects of the magneto-electric polarizability (MEP) of the TI, as well as its relative dielectric permittivity on the electrical conductivity in graphene at low but finite temperatures.