Engineering stacking-induced topological phase transitions in bilayer heterostructures

Abstract

Nonmagnetic topological insulators (TIs) are known for their robust metallic surface/edge states that are protected by time-reversal symmetry, making them promising candidates for next-generation spintronic and nanoelectronic devices. Traditional approaches to realizing TIs have focused on inducing band inversion via strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC), yet many materials with substantial SOC often remain topologically trivial. In this work, we present a materials-design strategy for engineering topologically non-trivial phases, e.g., quantum spin Hall phases, by vertically stacking topologically trivial Rashba monolayers in an inverted fashion. Using BiSb as a prototype system, we demonstrate that while the BiSb monolayer is topologically trivial (despite having significant SOC), an inverted BiSb-SbBi bilayer configuration realizes a non-trivial topological phase with enhanced spin Hall conductivity. We further reveal a delicate interplay between the SOC strength and the interlayer electron tunneling that governs the emergence of a nontrivial topological phase in the bilayer heterostructure. This phase can be systematically tuned using an external electric field, providing an experimentally accessible means of controlling the system's topology. Our magnetotransport studies further validate this interplay, by revealing $g$-factor suppression and the emergence a zeroth Landau level. Notably, the inverted bilayer heterostructure exhibits a robust and tunable spin Hall effect, with performance comparable to that of state-of-the-art materials. Thus, our findings unveil an alternative pathway for designing and engineering functional properties in 2D topological systems using topologically trivial constituent monolayers.