Towards the manipulation of topological states of matter: A perspective from electron transport Cheng Zhang1,2, Hai-Zhou Lu3,4, Shun-Qing Shen5, Yong P. Chen6,7,8 and Faxian Xiu1,2,9* 1State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China 2Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China 3Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering and Department of Physics, South University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen 518055, China 4Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Quantum Science and Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, China 5Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China 6Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA 7Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA 8School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA 9Institute for Nanoelectronic Devices and Quantum Computing, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China *Corresponding author: Faxian Xiu, E-mail:
[email protected] 1 / 39 Abstract The introduction of topological invariants, ranging from insulators to metals, has provided new insights into the traditional classification of electronic states in condensed matter physics. A sudden change in the topological invariant at the boundary of a topological nontrivial system leads to the formation of exotic surface states that are dramatically different from its bulk. In recent years, significant advancements in the exploration of the physical properties of these topological systems and regarding device research related to spintronics and quantum computation have been made. Here, we review the progress of the characterization and manipulation of topological phases from the electron transport perspective and also the intriguing chiral/Majorana states that stem from them.