Tunable edge states and their robustness towards disorder

Abstract

The interest in the properties of edge states in Chern insulators and in $\mathbb{Z}_2$ topological insulator has increased rapidly in recent years. We present calculations on how to influence the transport properties of chiral and helical edge states by modifications of the edges in the Haldane and in the Kane-Mele model. The Fermi velocity of the chiral edge states becomes direction-dependent as does the spin-dependent Fermi velocity of the helical edge states. Moreover, it is possible to tune the Fermi velocity by orders of magnitude. Additionally, we explicitly investigate the robustness of edge states against local disorder. The edge states can be reconstructed in the Brillouin zone in presence of disorder. The influence of the width and of the length of the system is studied as well as the dependence on the strength of the disorder.