  The edge states of a two-dimensional topological insulator are characterized
by their helicity, a very remarkable property which is related to the
time-reversal symmetry and the topology of the underlying system. We
theoretically investigate a Hong-Ou-Mandel like setup as a tool to probe it.
Collisions of two electrons with the same spin show a Pauli dip, analogous to
the one obtained in the integer quantum Hall case. Moreover, the collisions
between electrons of opposite spin also lead to a dip, known as
$\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ dip, which is a direct consequence of the constraints imposed
by time-reversal symmetry. In contrast to the integer quantum Hall case, the
visibility of these dips is reduced by the presence of the additional edge
channels, and crucially depends on the properties of the quantum point contact.
As a unique feature of this system, we show the possibility of three-electron
interference, which leads to a total suppression of the noise independently of
the point contact configuration. This is assured by the peculiar interplay
between Fermi statistics and topology. This work intends to extend the domain
of applicability of electron quantum optics.

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics