Topological Matter

This book presents the observation and the control of spin-polarized electrons in Rashba thin films and topological insulators, including the first observations of a weak topological insulator (WTI) and a higher-order topological insulator (HOTI) in bismuth halides. It begins with a general review of electronic structures at the solid surface and mentions that an electron spin at a surface is polarized due to the Rashba effect or topological insulator states with strong spin-orbit coupling.

This thesis presents the first systematic electron transport investigation of rhombohedral graphite (RG) films and thus lies at the interface of graphene physics, vdW heterostructure devices and topological matter. Electron transport investigation into the rhombohedral phase of graphite was limited to a few layers of graphene due to the competing hexagonal phase being more abundant.

Electronic state of every solid is basically classified into two categories according to its electrical responses: insulator or metal. A textbook of modern solid state physics explains that shape of a Fermi surface plays a key role in most physical properties in metals. One of the well-established experimental methods to detect a Fermi surface is measurement of quantum oscillations that is a periodic response of physical quantities with respect to external magnetic fields. As insulators do not host Fermi surface, it is believed that they do not exhibit any quantum oscillations.

This book reports new results in condensed matter physics for which topological methods and ideas are important. It considers, on the one hand, recently discovered systems such as carbon nanocrystals and, on the other hand, new topological methods used to describe more traditional systems such as the Fermi surfaces of normal metals, liquid crystals and quasicrystals. The authors of the book are renowned specialists in their fields and present the results of ongoing research, some of it obtained only very recently and not yet published in monograph form.

The investigation of light-matter interactions in materials, especially those on the nanoscale, represents perhaps the most promising avenue for scientific progress in the fields of photonics and plasmonics. This book examines a variety of topics, starting from fundamental principles, leading to the current state of the art research.

Dirac cones are ubiquitous to non-trivial quantum matter and are expected to boost and reshape the field of modern electronics. Particularly relevant examples where these cones arise are topological insulators and graphene.

Dirac cones are ubiquitous to non-trivial quantum matter and are expected to boost and reshape the field of modern electronics. Particularly relevant examples where these cones arise are topological insulators and graphene.