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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Large inverted band gap in strained three-layer InAs/GaInSb quantum wells

C. Avogadri1, S. Gebert1,2, S. S. Krishtopenko1, I. Castillo1, C. Consejo1, S. Ruffenach1, C. Roblin1, C. Bray1, Y. Krupko1 et al.

S. Juillaguet1, S. Contreras1, A. Wolf3, F. Hartmann3, S. Höfling3, G. Boissier2, J.-B. Rodriguez2, S. Nanot1, E. Tournié2, F. Teppe1,*, and B. Jouault1,†

  • 1Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
  • 2Institut d'Electronique et des Systèmes (IES), UMR 5214 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
  • 3Technische Physik, Physikalisches Institut and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany

  • *frederic.teppe@umontpellier.fr
  • †benoit.jouault@umontpellier.fr
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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L042042 – Published 5 December, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L042042

Abstract

Quantum spin Hall insulators (QSHIs) based on HgTe and three-layer InAs/GaSb quantum wells (QWs) have comparable bulk band gaps of about 10–18 meV. The former, however, features a band gap vanishing with temperature, while the gap in InAs/GaSb QSHIs is rather temperature independent. Here, we report on the realization of a large inverted band gap in strained three-layer InAs/GaInSb QWs. By temperature-dependent magnetotransport measurements of gated Hall bar devices, we extract a gap as high as 45 meV. By combining local and nonlocal measurements, we detect edge conductivity at temperatures up to 40 K, possibly of topological origin, with equilibrium lengths of a few micrometers. Our results pave the way for the manipulation of topological edge states at high temperatures in QW heterostructures.

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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L042042– Published 5 December, 2022
  • Received 7 March 2022
  • Accepted 16 September 2022
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