Living on the edge: Topology, electrostatics, and disorder

Abstract

We address the coexistence of massless and massive topological edge states at the interface between two materials with different topological phases. We modify the well-known Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang model to introduce a smooth function describing the band inversion and the band bending due to electrostatic effects between the bulk of the quantum well and the vacuum. Within this minimal model we identify distinct parameter sets that can lead to the coexistence of the two types of edge states and that determine their number and characteristics. We propose several experimental setups that could demonstrate their presence in two-dimensional topological systems, as well as ways to regulate or tune the contribution of the massive edge states to the conductance of associated electronic devices. Our results suggest that such states may also be present in novel two-dimensional van der Waals topological materials.