Two-Dimensional In-Sb Compound on Silicon as a Quantum Spin Hall Insulator.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) topological insulator is a promising quantum phase for achieving dissipationless transport due to the robustness of the gapless edge states resided in the insulating gap providing realization of the quantum spin Hall effect. Searching for two-dimensional realistic materials that are able to provide the quantum spin Hall effect and possessing the feasibility of their experimental preparation is a growing field. Here we report on the two-dimensional (In, Sb)2[Formula: see text]2[Formula: see text] compound synthesized on Si(111) substrate and its comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigations based on an atomic-scale characterization by using scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy as well as ab initio density functional theory calculations identifying the synthesized 2D compound as a suitable system for realization of the quantum spin Hall effect without additional functionalization like chemical adsorption, applying strain, or gating.