Three-dimensional quantum Hall states as a chiral electromagnetic filter

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that three-dimensional integer quantum Hall states can serve as broad-band circularly polarized light filters in the terahertz range, resilient to imperfections and applicable across various materials.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optical filtering functionality of 3D IQH states, independent of their microscopic origins, with potential for practical terahertz applications.

Findings

Effective broad-band filtering of circularly polarized THz light.

Resilience of the filtering effect against practical imperfections.

Applicability across diverse 3D IQH materials.

Abstract

Extensive research has explored the optical properties of topological insulating materials, driven by their inherent stability and potential applications. In this study, we unveil a novel functionality of three-dimensional integer quantum Hall (3D IQH) states as broad-band filters for circularly polarized light, particularly effective in the terahertz (THz) frequency range under realistic system parameters. We also investigate the impact of practical imperfections, demonstrating the resilience of this filtering effect. Our findings reveal that this phenomenon is independent of the microscopic origin of the 3D IQH state, prompting discussions on its feasibility across diverse candidate materials. These results contribute to our understanding of fundamental optical properties and hold promise for practical applications in optical technologies.