Controlling the Chern Number by Hand (IMAGE)

Paul Scherrer Institute

Controlling the Chern Number by Hand

Caption

Crystals of PdGa can be grown with two distinct structural chiralities (left and right column). The two enantiomers have mirrored crystal structures (second row), as seen in electron-reflection patterns (third row). Schröter et al. now demonstrate that the handedness are reflected as well in the structure of the Fermi surfaces (bottom row), which determine the electronic behaviour of the material. Both compounds display the maximal Chern number, but with opposite sign, +4 and -4, respectively. (Adapted from ref. 1.)

Credit

Paul Scherrer Institute/Niels Schröter

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