Spin polarization transfer into and out of helical edge modes

Ascertain whether spin polarization can be injected into or extracted from the helical edge modes of monolayer WTe2 and related two-dimensional topological insulators for spintronics applications, including identifying suitable weak tunnel contacts and magnetic interfaces needed to demonstrate spin transfer.

Background

The helical edge states of 2D topological insulators possess spin-momentum locking, and monolayer WTe2 shows a unique, well-defined spin axis derived from its bulk band structure, making it a promising platform for spintronics.

Demonstrating spin transfer into and out of these edge modes requires developing minimally invasive contacts and controlled magnetic interfaces, which remains experimentally challenging.