Electron optics using negative refraction in two-dimensional inverted-band pn junctions

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Yuhao Zhao
• Author: Anina Leuch
• Author: Oded Zilberberg
• Author: Antonio Štrkalj
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Physics)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Physics

Abstract (english)

Electron optics deals with condensed matter platforms for manipulating and guiding electron beams with high efficiency and robustness. Common devices rely on the spatial confinement of the electrons into one-dimensional channels. Recently, there is growing interest in electron optics applications in two dimensions, which heretofore are almost exclusively based on graphene devices. In this work, we study band-inverted systems resulting from particle-hole hybridization and demonstrate their potential for electron optics applications. We develop the theory of interface scattering in an inverted-band 𝑝⁢𝑛 junction using a scattering matrix formalism and observe negative refraction conditions as well as transmission filtering akin to graphene's Klein tunneling but at finite angles. Based on these findings, we provide a comprehensive protocol for constructing electron optic components, such as focusing and bifurcating lenses, polarizers, and mirrors. We numerically test the robustness of our designs to disorder and finite temperatures, and motivate the feasibility of experimental realization. Our work opens avenues for electron optics in two dimensions beyond graphene-based devices, where a plethora of inverted-band materials in contemporary experiments can be harnessed.

• Keywords (english): electron optics; inverted-band 𝑝⁢𝑛 junction
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Physical Review B
• Numbering: vol. 108, no. 19, 195301
• p-ISSN: 2469-9950
• e-ISSN: 2469-9969
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.108.195301
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:329144
• Publication: 2023-11
• Document URL: https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.108.195301
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Public note: © 2023 American Physical Society. Received 15 July 2023. Revised 10 October 2023. Accepted 11 October 2023. Published 1 November 2023.
• Created on: 2024-07-23 10:33:19