Edge states, transport and topological properties of heterostructures in the SSH model

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the topological and transport properties of binary heterostructures of different topological materials. Using the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model and the method of Green's functions, we calculate and characterize the edge states of these heterostructures. We study the topological phase through an invariant calculated from the Zak phase in order to build phase diagrams. We obtained an analytical result that allows us to find the topological phase diagram for a one-dimensional general chain and for heterostructures from the cross band condition. We also calculate the differential conductance with the non-equilibrium Green function technique showing the tunneling of the edge states and discussing its possible design and experimental application.