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Abstract:
We propose new topological insulators in cerium-filled skutterudite (FS)
compounds based on ab initio calculations. We find that two compounds,
CeOs4As12 and CeOs4Sb12, are zero gap materials with band inversions
between Os-d and Ce-f orbitals, similar to HgTe. Both compounds are
predicted to become topological Kondo insulators at low temperatures,
which are Kondo insulators in the bulk but with robust Dirac surface
states on the boundary. Furthermore, this family of topological
insulators has more unique features. Due to similar lattice parameters
there will be a good proximity effect with other superconducting FS
compounds, which may realize Majorana fermions. Additionally, the
experimentally observed antiferromagnetic phase of CeOs4Sb12 at very low
temperature provides a way to realize the massive Dirac fermion with
topological magnetoelectric effects.
