Topological Electride Y₂C

Two-dimensional (2D) electrides are layered ionic crystals in which anionic electrons are confined in the interlayer space. Here, we report a discovery of nontrivial Z2 topology in the electronic structures of 2D electride Y₂C. Based on first-principles calculations, we found a topological Z2 invariant of (1; 111) for the bulk band and topologically protected surface states in the surfaces of Y₂C, signifying its nontrivial electronic topology. We suggest a spin-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurement to detect the unique helical spin texture of the spin-polarized topological surface state, which will provide characteristic evidence for the nontrivial electronic topology of Y₂C. Furthermore, the coexistence of 2D surface electride states and topological surface state enables us to explain the outstanding discrepancy between the recent ARPES experiments and theoretical calculations. Our findings establish a preliminary link between the electride in chemistry and the band topology in condensed-matter physics, which are expected to inspire further interdisciplinary research between these fields.