A newly-discovered “surface signature” of materials known as higher-order topological insulators could make them easier to identify – a task that has proved challenging until now. The technique, which was developed by researchers in the US, France, China and Ireland, would involve measuring changes to the polarization of an incoming light beam as it reflects off the material’s surface. Though not yet demonstrated experimentally, the technique could prove useful for developing quantum computers and spintronics devices that exploit the properties of these unusual materials.
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