Visualizing the topology of electrons with ‘3D glasses’

They are seen as a beacon of hope for energy-saving electronics and the high-tech of the future: topological quantum materials. One of their properties is the conduction of spin-polarized electrons on their surface—even though they are actually non-conductive inside. To put this into perspective: In spin-polarized electrons, the intrinsic angular momentum, i.e. the direction of rotation of the particles (spin), is not purely randomly aligned.