Electrostatics of Chern junctions in a magnetic field

Abstract

Electrostatic control is central to the operation of semiconductor junctions made from conventional materials. Here, we theoretically investigate the electrostatic properties of lateral junctions between two-dimensional (2D) Chern semiconductors in a perpendicular magnetic field. The spectral asymmetry of a Chern semiconductor acts as a magnetic-field-induced effective dopant density that is dependent on the Chern number. As a consequence, two regions with different Chern numbers acquire different chemical potentials at charge neutrality, leading to a built-in potential of topological origin across the junction. Using this built-in potential as a boundary condition, we solve the 2D Poisson equation to obtain the electric potential and charge density profiles, as well as the capacitance, of Chern semiconductor junctions. Our results inform the interplay between electronic topology and electrostatics in devices made from 2D materials.