Shoucheng Zhang
Stanford University, USA
Shoucheng Zhang (left) with Matthias Troyer
Date
17 September 2008
Title
The Quantum Spin Hall Effect
Abstract
Search for topologically non-trivial states of matter has become an important goal for condensed matter physics. Recently, a new class of topological insulators has been proposed. These topological insulators have an insulating gap in the bulk, but have topologically protected edge states due to the time reversal symmetry. In two dimensions the edge states give rise to the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect, in the absence of any external magnetic field. I shall review the theoretical prediction of the QSH state in HgTe/CdTe semiconductor quantum wells, and its recent experimental observation.