No Arabic abstract
In typical topological insulator (TI) systems the TI is bordered by a non-TI insulator, and the surrounding conventional insulators, including vacuum, are not generally treated as part of the TI system. Here, we implement the first material system where the roles are reversed, and the TSS form around the non-TI (instead of the TI) layers. This is realized by growing a layer of the tunable non-TI $(Bi_{1-x}In_{x})_{2}Se_{3}$ in between two layers of the TI $Bi_2Se_3$ using the atomically-precise molecular beam epitaxy technique. On this tunable inverse topological platform, we systematically vary the thickness and the composition of the $(Bi_{1-x}In_{x})_{2}Se_{3}$ layer and show that this tunes the coupling between the TI layers from strongly-coupled metallic to weakly-coupled, and finally to a fully-decoupled insulating regime. This system can be used to probe the fundamental nature of coupling in TI materials and provides a tunable insulating layer for TI devices.
Novel topological devices require the isolation of topological surface states from trivial bulk states for electronic transport. In this study, we examine a tunable topological system, $Ge(Bi_{x}Sb_{1-x})_{2}Te_{4}$, for a range of x values, using a combination of Fourier Transform Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy (FT-STS) and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES). We track the evolution of the bulk and surface state band structure for different values of x from 1 to 0.4. Our results show that the system remains topologically non-trivial down to x = 0.4, extending the range predicted by previous computational studies. Importantly, we find that the Dirac point crosses the Fermi energy near x = 0.65. Our observation of a tunable Dirac point which crosses into the topological transport regime can be important for topological spintronics applications.
Layered indium selenides ($In_{2}Se_{3}$) have recently been discovered to host robust out-of-plane and in-plane ferroelectricity in the $alpha$ and $beta$ phases, respectively. In this work, we utilise angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy to directly measure the electronic bandstructure of $beta -In_{2}Se_{3}$, and compare to hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In agreement with DFT, we find the band structure is highly two-dimensional, with negligible dispersion along the c-axis. Due to n-type doping we are able to observe the conduction band minima, and directly measure the minimum indirect (0.97 eV) and direct (1.46 eV) bandgaps. We find the Fermi surface in the conduction band is characterized by anisotropic electron pockets with sharp in-plane dispersion about the $overline{M}$ points, yielding effective masses of 0.21 $m_{0}$ along $overline{KM}$ and 0.33 $m_{0}$ along $overline{Gamma M}$. The measured band structure is well supported by hybrid density functional theory calculations. The highly two-dimensional (2D) bandstructure with moderate bandgap and small effective mass suggest that $beta-In_{2}Se_{3}$ is a potentially useful new van der Waals semiconductor. This together with its ferroelectricity makes it a viable material for high-mobility ferroelectric-photovoltaic devices, with applications in non-volatile memory switching and renewable energy technologies.
The prospective of optically inducing a spin polarized current for spintronic devices has generated a vast interest in the out-of-equilibrium electronic and spin structure of topological insulators (TIs). In this Letter we prove that only by measuring the spin intensity signal over several order of magnitude in spin, time and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (STAR-PES) experiments is it possible to comprehensively describe the optically excited electronic states in TIs materials. The experiments performed on $mathrm{Bi_{2}Se_{3}}$ reveal the existence of a Surface-Resonance-State in the 2nd bulk band gap interpreted on the basis of fully relativistic ab-initio spin resolved photoemission calculations. Remarkably, the spin dependent relaxation of the hot carriers is well reproduced by a spin dynamics model considering two non-interacting electronic systems, derived from the excited surface and bulk states, with different electronic temperatures.
We present angle resolved photoemission experiments and scanning tunneling spectroscopy results on the doped topological insulator Cu0.2Bi2Te3. Quasi-particle interference (QPI) measurements, based on high resolution conductance maps of the local density of states show that there are three distinct energy windows for quasi-particle scattering. Using a model Hamiltonian for this system two new scattering channels are identified: the first between the surface states and the conduction band and the second between conduction band states. We also observe that the real space density modulation has a predominant three-fold symmetry, which rules out a simple, isotropic impurity potential. We obtain agreement between experiment and theory by considering a modified scattering potential that is consistent with having mostly Bi-Te anti-site defects as scatterers.
As a methodology for controlling the carrier transport of topological insulators (TIs), a flexible tuning in carrier number on the surface states (SSs) of three dimensional TIs by surface modifications using organic molecules is described. The principle of the carrier tuning and its type conversion of TIs presented in this research are based on the charge transfer of holes or electrons at the TI/organic molecule interface. By employing 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) as an electron acceptor or tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as a donor for n- and p- Bi2-xSbxTe3-ySey (BSTS) single crystals, successful carrier conversion from n to p and its reverse mode is demonstrated depending on the electron affinities of the molecules. The present method provides a nondestructive and efficient method for local tuning in carrier density of TIs, and is useful for future applications.