Engineering of robust topological quantum phases in graphene nanoribbons

Boundaries between distinct topological phases of matter support robust, yet exotic quantum states such as spin-momentum locked transport channels or Majorana fermions^1-3. The idea of using such states in spintronic devices or as qubits in quantum information technology is a strong driver of current research in condensed matter physics^4-6. The topological properties of quantum states have helped to explain the conductivity of doped trans-polyacetylene in terms of dispersionless soliton states^7-9. In their seminal paper, Su, Schrieffer and Heeger (SSH) described these exotic quantum states using a one-dimensional tight-binding model^10,11. Because the SSH model describes chiral topological insulators, charge fractionalization and spin-charge separation in one dimension, numerous efforts have been made to realize the SSH Hamiltonian in cold-atom, photonic and acoustic experimental configurations^12-14. It is, however, desirable to rationally engineer topological electronic phases into stable and processable materials to exploit the corresponding quantum states. Here we present a flexible strategy based on atomically precise graphene nanoribbons to design robust nanomaterials exhibiting the valence electronic structures described by the SSH Hamiltonian^15-17. We demonstrate the controlled periodic coupling of topological boundary states¹⁸ at junctions of graphene nanoribbons with armchair edges to create quasi-one-dimensional trivial and non-trivial electronic quantum phases. This strategy has the potential to tune the bandwidth of the topological electronic bands close to the energy scale of proximity-induced spin-orbit coupling¹⁹ or superconductivity²⁰, and may allow the realization of Kitaev-like Hamiltonians³ and Majorana-type end states²¹.