Edge physics in two-dimensional topological insulators

Topology in condensed matter physics manifests itself in the emergence of edge or surface states protected by underlying symmetries. We review two-dimensional topological insulators whose one-dimensional edge states are characterized by spin-momentum locking and protected by time-reversal symmetry. We focus in particular on their transport properties in the presence of electron interactions, which can allow the onset of different backscattering mechanisms, thus leading to deviations from the quantized conductance observed in the ballistic regime. The combined presence of helicity and electron interactions creates a new paradigm of the one-dimensional world called helical Luttinger liquid, whose theoretical properties and experimental observations are reviewed.

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