Conventional wisdom dictates that the conducting edge states of two-dimensional topological insulators of the ${\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Se}}_3$ family are protected by time-reversal symmetry. However, theoretical bulk calculations and a recent experiment show that the edge states persist in the presence of large external magnetic fields. To address this apparent contradiction, we have developed an analytical description for the edge-state wave function of a semi-infinite sample in a perpendicular magnetic field. Our description relies on the usual bulk Landau levels, together with additional states arising due to the presence of the hard wall, which are unnormalizable in the infinite system. The analytical wave functions agree extremely well with numerical calculations and can be used to directly analyze the behavior of the edge states in a magnetic field.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article

• Edge states
• Topological materials
• Two-dimensional electron system