CAREER: Designing Topological States in van der Waals Structures

非技术摘要：随着电子设备尺寸的缩小，它们的整体性能正在下降。需要探索基于量子现象的新型材料，以进一步提高未来电子器件的性能并减小尺寸。一类特别有前途的量子材料是拓扑绝缘体，其特征在于在其边界处具有高度导电的电子态的非导电体。该计划的重点是实验研究的性质在二维（2D）拓扑绝缘体，只有几个原子厚。这些材料的性质可以通过堆叠具有不同材料成分的单层来设计，并通过施加电场来控制。该项目的研究方面伴随着广泛的教育和推广计划，旨在为研究生和本科生在工业和学术界的成功职业生涯做好准备，并通过帕萨迪纳联合学区的高中学生和教师的讲座和实验室图尔斯参观，帮助公众了解量子科学和纳米技术。此外，该项目的所有成果将通过在国内和国际会议上的演讲、期刊文章以及面向广大受众的可公开访问的博客帖子和教育视频进行广泛传播。技术摘要：该CAREER奖支持货车德瓦尔斯材料和异质结构中物质拓扑相的实验探索。由于其固有的2D特性，可以通过量子输运测量和扫描探针显微镜的紧密结合来研究这些非线性材料。研究小组将专注于将使用扫描隧道显微镜获得的边缘状态的局部结构和电子特性与各种实验环境中的整体传输特征相关联。这种方法将允许新的见解相关的背散射机制，以及到自旋极化和自旋弛豫的螺旋边缘。该团队还将探索将二维拓扑货车德瓦尔斯材料与超导体耦合的前景，以在一维和零维中创建拓扑保护的超导量子态。该项目将为整合研究、教育和外展提供充足的机会。特别是，作为该项目的一部分，主要研究人员将为公众开发讲座，并加强本科生和研究生的课程，涵盖量子科学和纳米技术的最新主题。研究成果将通过国家和国际会议的演讲、期刊文章以及面向广大受众的公开博客文章和教育视频广泛传播。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical Abstract: As electronic devices shrink in size, their overall performance is degrading. Novel materials based on quantum phenomena need to be explored in order to further boost the performance and reduce size of future electronic devices. One particular promising class of such quantum materials are topological insulators which are characterized by electrically non-conductive bulk alongside with a highly conductive electronic state at its boundaries. This program focuses on experimental research of the properties in two-dimensional (2D) topological insulators that are only a few atoms thick. The properties of these materials can be engineered by stacking monolayers with different material composition and controlled by applying electric fields. The research aspects of this project are accompanied by an extensive educational and outreach plan aimed to prepare graduate and undergraduate students for successful careers in industry and academia as well as help educate general public about quantum science and nanotechnology through lectures and lab tours for high-school students and teachers from the Pasadena Unified School District. Moreover, all results from this project will be broadly disseminated through the talks at national and international conferences and journal articles as well as in publicly accessible blog posts and educational videos targeting broad audience.Technical Abstract:This CAREER award supports experimental exploration of topological phases of matter in van der Waals materials and hetero-structures. Due to their intrinsic 2D character, these ultrathin materials can be studied by closely integrated combination of quantum transport measurements and scanning probe microscopy. The research team will focus on correlating local structural and electronic properties of the edge states obtained using scanning tunneling microscopy with the overall transport signatures in variety of experimental settings. This approach will allow for novel insights into the relevant backscattering mechanisms as well as into the spin polarization and spin relaxation of the helical edges. The team will also explore prospects of coupling 2D topological van der Waals materials to superconductors in order to create topologically protected superconducting quantum states in one and zero dimensions. This project will offer ample opportunities for integrating research, education and outreach. In particular, as a part of this project, the principle investigator will develop lectures for the general public and enhance course curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students that will cover the most recent topics in quantum science and nanotechnology. The research results will be broadly disseminated through the talks at national and international conferences and journal articles as well as in publicly accessible blog posts and educational videos targeting broad audience.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.