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arXiv · 2012.15118

In-plane magnetic field-driven symmetry breaking in topological insulator-based three-terminal junctions

Jonas Kölzer·Kristof Moors·Abur R. Jalil·Erik Zimmermann·Daniel Rosenbach·Lidia Kibkalo·Peter Schüffelgen·Gregor Mussler·Detlev Grützmacher·Thomas L. Schmidt·Hans Lüth·Thomas Schäpers
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Abstract

Topological surface states of three-dimensional topological insulator nanoribbons and their distinct magnetoconductance properties are promising for topoelectronic applications and topological quantum computation. A crucial building block for nanoribbon-based circuits are three-terminal junctions. While the transport of topological surface states on a planar boundary is not directly affected by an in-plane magnetic field, the orbital effect cannot be neglected when the surface states are confined to the boundary of a nanoribbon geometry. Here, we report on the magnetotransport properties of such three-terminal junctions. We observe a dependence of the current on the in-plane magnetic field, with a distinct steering pattern of the surface state current towards a preferred output terminal for different magnetic field orientations. We demonstrate that this steering effect originates from the orbital effect, trapping the phase-coherent surface states in the different legs of the junction on opposite sides of the nanoribbon and breaking the left-right symmetry of the transmission across the junction. The reported magnetotransport properties demonstrate that an in-plane magnetic field is not only relevant but also very useful for the characterization and manipulation of transport in three-dimensional topological insulator nanoribbon-based junctions and circuits, acting as a topoelectric current switch.

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Jonas Kölzer, Kristof Moors, Abur R. Jalil, Erik Zimmermann, Daniel Rosenbach, Lidia Kibkalo, Peter Schüffelgen, Gregor Mussler, Detlev Grützmacher, Thomas L. Schmidt, Hans Lüth, Thomas Schäpers. 2020-12-30. In-plane magnetic field-driven symmetry breaking in topological insulator-based three-terminal junctions. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-021-00213-3

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