Topological protection revealed by real-time longitudinal and transverse transport measurements

Abstract

Topology is essential for achieving unchanged (or protected) quantum properties in the presence of perturbations. A challenge facing the application is the variable protection levels displayed in real systems associated with the reconstructive behaviors of the dissipationless modes. Despite various insights on potential causes of backscattering, the edge-state-based approach is incomplete because the bulk states also contribute indispensably. This study investigates sample-scale reconstruction where dissipationless modes are global objects instead of being restricted to the sample edge. An integer quantum Hall effect hosted in a Corbino geometry is adopted and brought to the verge of a breakdown. Two independent and simultaneous detections are performed to capture transport responses in both longitudinal and transverse directions. The real-time correspondence between orthogonal results confirms two facts. 1. Dissipationless modes undergo frequent reconstruction in response to electrochemical potential changes, causing dissipationless current paths to expand transversely into the bulk while preserving chirality. A breakdown only occurs when a backscattering emerges between reconstructed dissipationless current paths bridging opposite edge contacts. 2. Topological protection is subject to an interplay of disorder, electron-electron interaction, and topology. The proposed reconstruction mechanism qualitatively explains the robustness variations, beneficial for protection optimization. Understanding the mechanisms influencing the robustness of topologically protected states is of fundamental relevance. This experimental work demonstrates, through the observation of real-time longitudinal and transverse responses, the importance of transverse reconstruction of protected modes which is influenced by electron-electron interaction in addition to disorder.