Spin Filters and Switchers in Topological-Insulator Junctions

Abstract

The exotic transport properties of topological insulators are very appealing for device applications, but the details of the physics in particular systems still need to be established. Using the theory of equilibrium Green's functions and topological phase transitions, the authors design several types of spintronic devices based on the properties of topological edge states in silicenelike nanoribbons, finding good spin-filter performance for these three-segment nanojunctions. Of particular interest are the discovery of Fano and Fabry-Perot resonances in these devices, and of course robustness against disorder and dephasing.