1209.1970 (Wanxiang Feng et al.)

Strain tuning of topological band order in cubic semiconductors    [PDF]

Wanxiang Feng, Wenguang Zhu, Hanno H. Weitering, G. Malcolm Stocks, Yugui Yao, Di Xiao

We theoretically explore the possibility of tuning the topological order of cubic diamond/zinc-blende semiconductors with external strain. Based on the tight-binding model, we analyze the evolution of the cubic semiconductor band structure under hydrostatic or biaxial lattice expansion, by which a generic guiding principle is established that lattice \emph{expansion} can induce a topological phase transition of small band-gap cubic semiconductors via a band inversion, and further breaking of the cubic symmetry leads to a topological insulating phase. Using density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that a prototype topological trivial semiconductor, InSb, is converted to a nontrivial topological semiconductor with a 2%-3% biaxial lattice expansion.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1209.1970