The tunability and control of topological edge/surface states are crucial for the development of new device applications. In this work, by combining first-principles calculations and Wannier-based tight-binding methods, we show the emergence of quantum spin Hall phases in van der Waals heterostructures formed by stacking two trivial quintuple layers from the ${\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3$ family. We demonstrate the tunability of the edge states under interlayer strain and external electric field effects, suggesting the possibility of switching topological edge states on/off by external control. Additionally, the quantum spin Hall edge channels remain robust against interlayer twist, highlighting their stability against external perturbations. Our results provide an alternative way to create and manipulate two-dimensional topological phases in systems based on the ${\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3$ family, which can be valuable for practical applications, such as topological field-effect transistors and spintronic devices.

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• Electronic structure
• Topological insulators
• 2-dimensional systems
• Density functional theory