Silicon-based chalcogenide: Unexpected quantum spin Hall insulator with sizable band gap

Searching for two-dimensional (2D) silicon-based topological materials is imperative for the development of various innovative devices. Here, by using first-principles calculations, we discover the silicon-based chalcogenide Si₂Te₂ film to be a 2D quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator with a fundamental band gap of 0.34 eV, which can be tunable under external strain. This nontrivial topological phase stems from band inversion between the Si-p_x,y and Te-p_x,y orbitals, demonstrated by a single pair of topologically protected helical edge states with Dirac point located in the bulk gap. Notably, the characteristic properties of edge states, such as the Fermi velocity and edge shape, can be engineered by edge modifications. Additionally, the BN sheet is an ideal substrate for the experimental realization of Si₂Te₂ films, without destroying its nontrivial topology. Our works open a meaningful route for designing topological spintronics devices based on 2D silicon-based films.