Emergence of topological and trivial interface states in VSe2 films coupled to Bi2Se3

Abstract

Coupling ordinary metals with topological ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$ can instigate the long-range migration of the spin-polarized Dirac states. Instead, for trivial metallic $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$ films on ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$, topological and trivial Rashba-type interface states emerge, each strongly localized at the $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}/{\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$ interface. Their rapidly decaying spectral weights are uncovered by thickness-dependent band mappings of $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$ films and replicated by a phenomenological first-principles model of the spectral function. The results are pertinent to spintronic devices requiring spin transmission across metal/topological insulator interfaces.