Searching for Large-gap Quantum Spin Hall Insulators: Boron-Nitride/(Pb, Sn)/{α}-Al2O3 Sandwich Structures

Topological insulators hold great potential for efficient information processing and storage. Using density functional theory calculations, we predict that a honeycomb lead monolayer can be stabilized on the Al2O3 (0001) substrate and becomes topologically non-trivial with a sizeable band gap (~0.27 eV). Furthermore, we propose to use hexagonal boron-nitride (h-BN) monolayer as a protection for the topological states of Pb/Al2O3 and Sn/Al2O3. Our findings suggest new possibilities for designing and protecting two-dimensional TIs for practical applications.