Possible Mechanism of a New Type of Three-Dimensional Quantized Hall Effect in Layered Semiconductors Bi2−xSnxTe3

Abstract

We have found a new type of three-dimensional quantized Hall effect (QHE) in layered semiconductors Bi2−xSnxTe3 (x≤0.0125) single crystals. The Hall resistivity is not expressed in a universal relation applicable for a conventional QHE and depends appreciably on the doped Sn concentration x. The flat Hall plateaus are visible at higher Landau levels but are rather suppressed at lower regions. The calculated Landau levels of the upper valence band (UVB) with the best-fit band parameters are in excellent agreement with the experiments, including spin splitting. For Bi2−xSnxTe3, the Sn-originated impurity band (IB) has resonant nature and enhances the density of states at the Fermi level of UVB. The charge transfer occurs between the quantized UVB and the resonant IB or the lower valence band (LVB) for Bi2−xSnxTe3 or Bi2Te3, respectively, and the Landau levels are enhanced appreciably. We have revealed that the quasi-localized states are formed in quantized three-dimensional density of state spectra. We have proposed a possible model for the present QHE, which is a modification of Mani's model, where the quasi-localized state is formed at the disorder-originated tail of each Landau level. In the quasi-localized regime, the IB or LVB are responsible for the carrier reservoir to regulate the Hall resistivity.