1. Tailoring topological order and {\pi}-conjugation to engineer quasi-metallic polymers
- Author
-
Cirera, B., Sánchez-Grande, A., de la Torre, B., Santos, J., Edalatmanesh, S., Rodríguez-Sánchez, E., Lauwaet, K., Mallada-Faes, B., Zbořil, R., Miranda, R., Gröning, O., Jelínek, P., Martín, N., and Écija, D.
- Subjects
Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics ,Condensed Matter - Materials Science - Abstract
Topological band theory provides a conceptual framework to predict or even engineer robust metallic states at the boundaries of topologically distinct phases. The bulk-boundary correspondence requires that a topological electronic phase transition between two insulators must proceed via closing of the electronic gap. Therefore, it can provide a conceptual solution to the instability of metallic phases in {\pi}-conjugated 1D polymers. In this work we predict and demonstrate that a clever design and on-surface synthesis of polymers consisting of 1D linearly bridged polyacene moieties, can position the resulting polymer near the topological transition from a trivial to a non-trivial quantum phase featuring a very narrow bandgap with in-gap zero-energy edge-states at the topologically non-trivial phase. We also reveal the fundamental connection between topological classes and electronic transformation of 1D {\pi}-conjugated polymers.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF