Journal
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, VOL 2
Volume 2, Issue -, Pages 55-78Publisher
ANNUAL REVIEWS
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-conmatphys-062910-140432
Keywords
spin-orbit coupling; surface states; quantum Hall effect; topological phases
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Topological insulators in three dimensions are nonmagnetic insulators that possess metallic surface states (SSs) as a consequence of the nontrivial topology of electronic wavefunctions in the bulk of the material. They are the first known examples of topological order in bulk solids. We review the basic phenomena and experimental history, starting with the observation of topological insulator behavior in BixSb1-x by angle and spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-ARPES) and continuing through measurements on other materials and by other probes. A self-contained introduction to the single-particle theory is then given, followed by the many-particle definition of a topological insulator as a material with quantized magnetoelectric polarizability. The last section reviews recent work on strongly correlated topological insulators and new effects that arise from the proximity effect between a topological insulator and a superconductor. Although this article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of what is already a rather large field, we hope that it serves as a useful introduction, summary of recent progress, and guideline to future directions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available