Spin Hall effect and topological surface states in a cubic Laves phase superconductor

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the electronic structures, spin Hall effects, and topological properties of the superconductor YIr2, which crystallizes in the cubic Laves phase and contains two-dimensional (2D) kagome-lattice planes. We find it has an intrinsic 3D flat band originated from two intersecting kagome-lattice planes. This 3D flat band gives rise to large intrinsic spin Hall conductivity, which suggests YIr2 can be used for charge-spin conversion devices. On the (111) surface, it has Dirac-cone type topological surface states in close vicinity of the Fermi level. More importantly, they are distinct from the bulk states, indicating that YIr2 is a promising candidate topological superconductor to host Majorana zero modes. Our work provides an encouraging platform on which to study flat band physics, spin Hall effects, and topological superconductivity.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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