Observation of topological states residing at step edges of WTe2

Abstract

Topological states emerge at the boundary of solids as a consequence of the nontrivial topology of the bulk. Recently, theory predicts a topological edge state on single layer transition metal dichalcogenides with 1 T ’ structure. However, its existence still lacks experimental proof. Here, we report the direct observations of the topological states at the step edge of WTe 2 by spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy. A one-dimensional electronic state residing at the step edge of WTe 2 is observed, which exhibits remarkable robustness against edge imperfections. First principles calculations rigorously verify the edge state has a topological origin, and its topological nature is unaffected by the presence of the substrate. Our study supports the existence of topological edge states in 1 T ’-WTe 2 , which may envision in-depth study of its topological physics and device applications.