The so-called topological insulators are well-known, off-the-shelf
materials, but they have a previously overlooked and profound "topological"
property which forces their surfaces and edges to be metallic, in contrast
to the insulating bulk. Moreover, the one-dimensional (two-dimensional)
metal at the edge (surface) of a topological insulator was shown to be
inherently robust against disturbances, and to possess special transport
properties linked to the electron's spin, leading to many exciting
predictions for new physics and potential applications.

In this talk, I will also discuss recent results on the electronic structure
and electron dynamics of the prototypical topological insulator Bi2Se3. In
particular, I will focus on the formation of a quantum-confined
two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in the conduction band of Bi2Se3 and the
eventual splitting of the 2DEG states by a strong spin-orbit interaction. I
will also discuss the strength of the electron-phonon coupling on Bi2Se3 and
the influence of non-magnetic adsorbates on the surface electronic
structure.