Topological Atomic Chains on 2D Hybrid Structure

Abstract

Mid-gap 1D topological states and their electronic properties on different 2D hybrid structures are investigated using the tight binding Hamiltonian and the Green’s function technique. There are considered straight armchair-edge and zig-zag Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) chains coupled with real 2D electrodes which density of states (DOS) are characterized by the van Hove singularities. In this work, it is shown that such 2D substrates substantially influence topological states end evoke strong asymmetry in their on-site energetic structures, as well as essential modifications of the spectral density function (local DOS) along the chain. In the presence of the surface singularities the SSH topological state is split, or it is strongly localized and becomes dispersionless (tends to the atomic limit). Additionally, in the vicinity of the surface DOS edges this state is asymmetrical and consists of a wide bulk part together with a sharp localized peak in its local DOS structure. Different zig-zag and armachair-edge configurations of the chain show the spatial asymmetry in the chain local DOS; thus, topological edge states at both chain ends can appear for different energies. These new effects cannot be observed for ideal wide band limit electrodes but they concern 1D topological states coupled with real 2D hybrid structures.