How are Topological Insulators Different from Conventional Insulators?
Unlike conventional insulators that block the flow of electric current throughout the material, topological insulators allow current to flow on their surfaces. This is due to the presence of Dirac fermions, which are particles that obey the Dirac equation, in the surface states. These surface states are protected by time-reversal symmetry, making them resistant to scattering from non-magnetic impurities. This unique property makes topological insulators promising candidates for applications in spintronics and quantum computing.
