Title:  Symmetry Breaking in Topological Phases of Condensed Matter

Abstract:
  Topological Insulators (TIs) are a newly discovered class of materials in which symmetry-protected conducting modes exist on the surface of a bulk insulator.  They hold promise for realizing a variety of fundamentally interesting and technologically relevant electronic phases, ranging from quantized magnetoelectric effects to device structures that support extremely high thermoelectric performance.  Surprisingly, removing symmetries from these materials – including those that underlie their fundamental protection – has proven to be on the most incisive ways of examining TIs and reaching towards these exotic electronic behaviors.  I will discuss our materials oriented approach to breaking symmetry in TIs and the new behavior is has uncovered with a focus on emergent quantum Hall phases.