Fermi Energy Tuning in Topological Materials – FETTOM

This joint project aims to investigate the electronic states of selected topological quantum solids via a systematic tuning of the Fermi energy. Topological quantum materials host Dirac points in the electronic band structure. The electronic properties are sensitively dependent on the precise location of the Fermi energy, which can be controlled by hydrostatic pressure, uniaxial pressure, electric field and dimensionality. Unconventional behavior related to massless chiral fermions occurs only if the Fermi energy is close to these Dirac points. This project seeks to achieve such systematic tuning of the Fermi energy by employing multiple tuning parameters, and to probe the underlying electronic structure via high magnetic field straddling the quantum limit. This offers the prospect of extracting fundamental physics and the functionalization of these exciting materials. The results of this project will be of interest to the community of condensed matter physics and device engineering.