One-Dimensional Edge Transport in Few-Layer WTe$_2$

Abstract

WTe$_2$ is a layered transitional-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) with a number of intriguing topological properties. Recently, WTe$_2$ has been predicted to be a higher-order topological insulator (HOTI) with topologically protected hinge states along the edges. The gapless nature of WTe$_2$ complicates the observation of one-dimensional (1D) topological states in transport due to their small contribution relative to the bulk. Here, we study the behavior of the Josephson effect in magnetic field to distinguish edge from bulk transport. The Josephson effect in few-layer WTe$_2$ reveals 1D states residing on the edges and steps. Moreover, our data demonstrates a combination of Josephson transport properties observed solely in another HOTI - bismuth, including Josephson transport over micrometer distances, extreme robustness in a magnetic field, and nonsinusoidal current-phase relation (CPR). Our observations strongly suggest the topological origin of the 1D states and that few-layer WTe$_2$ is a HOTI.