FLEET’s topological materials research theme has sought to achieve electrical current flow with near-zero resistance, based on a paradigm shift in the understanding of condensed-matter physics and materials science: the advent of topological insulators.
Unlike conventional insulators, which do not conduct electricity at all, topological insulators conduct electricity, but only along their edges.
Along those topological edge paths, electrons can only move in one direction, without the ‘backscattering’ that dissipates energy in
conventional electronics.
Theme 1 researchers’ challenge has been to create topological materials that will operate as insulators in their interior and have switchable conduction paths along their edges.
Topological transistors will ‘switch’, just as a traditional (silicon-based) CMOS transistor does, with a ‘controlling’ voltage switching the edge paths between being a topological insulator (‘on’) and a conventional insulator (‘off’).
For the new technology to become a viable alternative to traditional transistors, the desired properties must be achievable at room temperature (otherwise, more energy is lost in maintaining ultra-low temperatures than is saved by the low-energy switching).
Approaches used are:
- Magnetic topological insulators and quantum
- anomalous Hall effect (QAHE)
- Topological Dirac semimetals
Case studies
Case Studies
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