Topological Insulator Bi2Se3 Thin Films Research Articles

Tuning and stabilizing topological insulator Bi2Se3 in the intrinsic regime by charge extraction with organic overlayers

In this work, we use charge extraction via organic overlayer deposition to lower the chemical potential of topological insulator (TI) Bi2Se3 thin films into the intrinsic (bulk-insulating) regime. We demonstrate the tuning and stabilization of intrinsic topological insulators at high mobility with low-cost organic films. With the protection of the organic charge extraction layers tetrafluorotetracyanoquinodimethane or tris(acetylacetonato)cobalt(III) (Co(acac)3), the sample is stable in the atmosphere with chemical potential ∼135 meV above the Dirac point (85 meV below the conduction band minimum, well within the topological insulator regime) after four months, which is an extraordinary level of environmental stability. The Co complex demonstrates the use of an organometallic for modulating TI charge density. The mobility of surface state electrons is enhanced as high as ∼2000 cm2/V s. Even at room temperature, a true topologically insulating state is realized and stabilized for months' exposure to the atmosphere.

Thickness-dependent transport channels in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films grown by magnetron sputtering

We study the low-temperature transport properties of Bi2Se3 thin films grown by magnetron sputtering. A positive magnetoresistance resulting from the weak antilocalization (WAL) effect is observed at low temperatures. The observed WAL effect is two dimensional in nature. Applying the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka theory, we have obtained the dephasing length. It is found that the temperature dependence of the dephasing length cannot be described only by the Nyquist electron-electron dephasing, in conflict with prevailing experimental results. From the WAL effect, we extract the number of the transport channels, which is found to increase with increasing the thickness of the films, reflecting the thickness-dependent coupling between the top and bottom surface states in topological insulator. On the other hand, the electron-electron interaction (EEI) effect is observed in temperature-dependent conductivity. From the EEI effect, we also extract the number of the transport channel, which shows similar thickness dependence with that obtained from the analysis of the WAL effect. The EEI effect, therefore, can be used to analyze the coupling effect between the top and bottom surface states in topological insulator like the WAL effect.

Electrical transport properties and morphology of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films with different thickness prepared by magnetron sputtering

Topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films were grown by magnetron sputtering on Si (1 0 0) substrate and their phase structures and electrical properties were studied. The films have good crystalline quality, and their surfaces exhibited terrace-like quintuple layers. In the high temperature region, contribution from surface carrier and bulk conduction band electrons excited from an impurity band; in the low temperature region, surface electron became dominant. The weak antilocalization (WAL) cusp was observed in the magneto-transport measurement at low temperature under low magnetic field. The linear magnetoresistance (MR) under high-field was found, which was associated with the gapless topological surface states and of quantum origin. Insulating tendency was much stronger in thinner films. The WAL effect became weaker in thicker films. The top surface was only partially decoupled.

Tuning thermoelectricity in a Bi2Se3 topological insulator via varied film thickness

We report thermoelectric transport studies on Bi2Se3 topological insulator thin films with varied thickness grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We find that the Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric power factor decrease systematically with the reduction of film thickness. These experimental observations can be explained quantitatively by theoretical calculations based on realistic electronic band structure of the Bi2Se3 thin films. This work illustrates the crucial role played by the topological surface states on the thermoelectric transport of topological insulators, and sheds new light on further improvement of their thermoelectric performance.

Weak antilocalization and electron-electron interaction in coupled multiple-channel transport in a Bi2Se3 thin film.

The electron transport properties of a topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin film are studied in Hall-bar geometry. The film with a thickness of 10 nm is grown by van der Waals epitaxy on fluorophlogopite mica and Hall-bar devices are fabricated from the as-grown film directly on the mica substrate. Weak antilocalization and electron-electron interaction effects are observed and analyzed at low temperatures. The phase-coherence length extracted from the measured weak antilocalization characteristics shows a strong power-law increase with decreasing temperature and the transport in the film is shown to occur via coupled multiple (topological surface and bulk states) channels. The conductivity of the film shows a logarithmical decrease with decreasing temperature and thus the electron-electron interaction plays a dominant role in quantum corrections to the conductivity of the film at low temperatures.

Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry analysis of iron-containing Bi2Se3 topological insulator thin films

Fe-containing Bi2Se3 topological insulators (TI) thin films have been grown to investigate the intricate interplay between topological order and the incorporation of ferromagnetic atoms. Here we present the quantitative characterisation of the Bi2Se3 thin films with up to 16at% Fe incorporated during the growth process on GaAs (111) substrate by Molecular Beam Epitaxy. We report the elemental composition and depth profiles of the Bi2Se3:Fe films obtained using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and their formed crystalline phase obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Resistance of the TI to beam-induced damage was investigated by channelling RBS. Using the elemental composition from RBS and the thickness from XRD measurements the Fe-free film density was deduced. For Fe-containing samples, the diffraction reveals the formation of two distinct crystalline phases, as well as their intergrowth pattern, in which the basal planes of Bi2Se3 coexist with an additional Fe–Se phase. This intergrown composite, with chemical compatibility of the Fe–Se phase with the crystalline Bi2Se3 structure, preserves the intrinsic topological surface states of the TI component despite the inhomogeneous distribution of the constituent phases. RBS analysis gives the stoichiometry of the Bi2Se3, and Bi2Se3:Fe samples (estimated between 0 and 16at% Fe) and gives insights into the composition of FeSex phases present.

Anisotropic Terahertz Emission from Bi2Se3 Thin Films with Inclined Crystal Planes.

We investigate the surface states of topological insulator (TI) Bi2Se3 thin films grown on Si nanocrystals and Al2O3 substrates by using terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy. Compared to bulk crystalline Bi2Te2Se, film TIs exhibit distinct behaviors in the phase and amplitude of emitted THz radiation. In particular, Bi2Se3 grown on Al2O3 shows an anisotropic response with a strong modulation of the THz signal in its phase. From x-ray diffraction, we find that the crystal plane of the Bi2Se3 films is inclined with respect to the plane of the Al2O3 substrate by about 0.27°. This structural anisotropy affects the dynamics of photocarriers and hence leads to the observed anisotropic response in the THz emission. Such relevance demonstrates that THz emission spectroscopy can be a sensitive tool to investigate the fine details of the surface crystallography and electrostatics of thin film TIs.

Plasmon-enhanced electron-phonon coupling in Dirac surface states of the thin-film topological insulator Bi2Se3

Raman measurements of a Fano-type surface phonon mode associated with Dirac surface states (SS) in Bi2Se3 topological insulator thin films allowed an unambiguous determination of the electron-phonon coupling strength in Dirac SS as a function of film thickness ranging from 2 to 40 nm. A non-monotonic enhancement of the electron-phonon coupling strength with maximum for the 8–10 nm thick films was observed. The non-monotonicity is suggested to originate from plasmon-phonon coupling which enhances electron-phonon coupling when free carrier density in Dirac SS increases with decreasing film thickness and becomes suppressed for thinnest films when anharmonic coupling between in-plane and out-of-plane phonon modes occurs. The observed about four-fold enhancement of electron-phonon coupling in Dirac SS of the 8–10 nm thick Bi2Se3 films with respect to the bulk samples may provide new insights into the origin of superconductivity in this-type materials and their applications.

Topological insulator thin films starting from the amorphous phase-Bi2Se3 as example

We present a new method to obtain topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films with a centimeter large lateral length. To produce amorphous Bi2Se3 thin films, we have used a sequential flash-evaporation method at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy has been used to verify that the prepared samples are in a pure amorphous state. During annealing, the samples transform into the rhombohedral Bi2Se3 crystalline structure which was confirmed using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Resistance measurements of the amorphous films show the expected Mott variable range hopping conduction process with a high specific resistance compared to the one obtained in the crystalline phase (metallic behavior). We have measured the magnetoresistance and the Hall effect at different temperatures between 2 K and 275 K. At temperatures T ≲ 50 K and fields B ≲ 1 T, we observe weak anti-localization in the MR; the Hall measurements confirm the n-type character of the samples. All experimental results of our films are in quantitative agreement with results from samples prepared using more sophisticated methods.

Interface induced states at the boundary between a 3D topological insulator Bi2Se3 and a ferromagnetic insulator EuS

By means of relativistic density functional theory (DFT) calculations we study electron band structure of the topological insulator (TI) Bi2Se3 thin films deposited on the ferromagnetic insulator (FMI) EuS substrate. In the Bi2Se3/EuS heterostructure, the gap opened in the spectrum of the topological state has a hybridization character and is shown to be controlled by the Bi2Se3 film thickness, while magnetic contribution to the gap is negligibly small. We also analyzed the effect of Eu doping on the magnetization of the Bi2Se3 film and demonstrated that the Eu impurity induces magnetic moments on neighboring Se and Bi atoms an order of magnitude larger than the substrate-induced moments. Recent magnetic and magneto-transport measurements in EuS/Bi2Se3 heterostructure are discussed.

Observation of quantum-tunnelling-modulated spin texture in ultrathin topological insulator Bi2Se3 films.

Understanding the spin-texture behaviour of boundary modes in ultrathin topological insulator films is critically essential for the design and fabrication of functional nanodevices. Here, by using spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with p-polarized light in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films, we report tunnelling-dependent evolution of spin configuration in topological insulator thin films across the metal-to-insulator transition. We report a systematic binding energy- and wavevector-dependent spin polarization for the topological surface electrons in the ultrathin gapped-Dirac-cone limit. The polarization decreases significantly with enhanced tunnelling realized systematically in thin insulating films, whereas magnitude of the polarization saturates to the bulk limit faster at larger wavevectors in thicker metallic films. We present a theoretical model that captures this delicate relationship between quantum tunnelling and Fermi surface spin polarization. Our high-resolution spin-based spectroscopic results suggest that the polarization current can be tuned to zero in thin insulating films forming the basis for a future spin-switch nanodevice.

Thermal evaporation growth of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films

Topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films were grown by thermal evaporation deposition with post-annealing treatment and their phase structures and electrical properties were studied. With increasing annealing temperature, the resistivity decreased, which could be ascribed to higher carrier concentration caused by Se vacancies. Resistivity upturn as well as weak anti-localization was observed only in the film annealed at 300°C.

Conductance modulation in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films with ionic liquid gating

A Bi2Se3 topological insulator field effect transistor is investigated by using ionic liquid as an electric double layer gating material, leading to a conductance modulation of 365% at room temperature. We discuss the role of charged impurities on the transport properties. The conductance modulation with gate bias is due to a change in the carrier concentration, whereas the temperature dependent conductance change is originated from a change in mobility. Large conductance modulation at room temperature along with the transparent optical properties makes topological insulators as an interesting (opto)electronic material.

Growth and characterization of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films on SrTiO3 using pulsed laser deposition

Bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) thin films were grown on SrTiO3(111) (STO) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The structural, morphological, electrical, and transport properties were studied at various substrate temperatures (TS) from 120 to 350°C. Amorphous films grown at TS<180°C exhibited semiconducting behavior, and highly c-axis-oriented textured films deposited at TS≥180°C exhibited metallic behavior. Bi2Se3 thin-films were epitaxially grown on STO substrates at 300 and 350°C. Thickness-dependent characteristics were also investigated for optimized Bi2Se3 films deposited at TS=230°C. The semiconducting or metallic characteristics of Bi2Se3 films prepared using PLD were observed through electrical and transport results.

Ordered growth of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films on dielectric amorphous SiO2 by MBE

Topological insulators (TIs) are exotic materials which have topologically protected states on the surface due to strong spin-orbit coupling. However, a lack of ordered growth of TI thin films on amorphous dielectrics and/or insulators presents a challenge for applications of TI-junctions. We report the growth of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films on amorphous SiO2 by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). To achieve the ordered growth of Bi2Se3 on an amorphous surface, the formation of other phases at the interface is suppressed by Se passivation. Structural characterizations reveal that Bi2Se3 films are grown along the [001] direction with a good periodicity by the van der Waals epitaxy mechanism. A weak anti-localization effect of Bi2Se3 films grown on amorphous SiO2 shows a modulated electrical property by the gating response. Our approach for ordered growth of Bi2Se3 on an amorphous dielectric surface presents considerable advantages for TI-junctions with amorphous insulator or dielectric thin films.

Topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films as an alternative channel material in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

Three-dimensional (3-D) topological insulators (TIs) are characterized by the presence of metallic surface states and a bulk band gap. Recently, theoretical and experimental studies have shown an induced gap in the surface state bands of TI thin films. The gap results from interaction of conduction band and valence band surface states from the opposite surfaces of a thin film, and its size is determined by the film thickness. This gap formation could open the possibility of thin-film TI-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Here we explore the performance of MOSFETs based on TI thin films, specifically Bi2Se3, using quantum ballistic transport simulations with the tight-binding Hamiltonian in the atomic orbital basis. Our simulations indicate that Bi2Se3 MOSFET will be vulnerable to short-channel effects due to the high relative dielectric constant of Bi2Se3 (∼100) despite its expected excellent electrostatic integrity inherent in a two-dimensional system, and will have other limitations as compared to silicon–based MOSFETs. However, Bi2Se3 MOSFETs, and presumably other TI-based MOSFETs, appear to provide reasonable performance that perhaps could provide novel device opportunities when combined with novel TI properties such as spin-polarized surface states.

Modulation of external electric field on surface states of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films

We study theoretically surface band structure and topological phase transition for Bi2Se3 thin films under an external electric field. It is demonstrated that an electric field vertical to the film surface can close or reopen a gap for surface states. We also study the spin-dependent transport property through an interface junction between regions without and with electric field on the film. Interestingly, the opacity and transparency of spin-down Dirac fermions through the junction can be modulated by changing the incident angle and the electric field strength. On the contrary, the spin-up Dirac fermions always penetrate through the junction.

Anomalous anisotropic magnetoresistance in topological insulator films

Topological insulators are insulating in the bulk but possess spin-momentum locked metallic surface states protected by time-reversal symmetry. The existence of these surface states has been confirmed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Detecting these surface states by transport measurement, which might at first appear to be the most direct avenue, was shown to be much more challenging than expected. Here, we report a detailed electronic transport study in high quality Bi2Se3 topological insulator thin films. Measurements under in-plane magnetic field, along and perpendicular to the bias current show opposite magnetoresistance. We argue that this contrasting behavior is related to the locking of the spin and current direction providing evidence for helical spin structure of the topological surface states.

Transport properties of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films in tilted magnetic fields

We report a systematic study of the electron transport properties of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films with various thicknesses in tilted magnetic fields. The negative magnetoconductivity observed in tilted fields cannot be described as a sum of the contributions from the perpendicular and the parallel magnetic fields. The details of the tilt angle dependencies rule out the possibility of significant Zeeman effects on the low field magnetotransport. Possible mechanisms for the in-plane-field effect are discussed based on the experimental data.

High-field linear magneto-resistance in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films

Linear magneto-resistance is observed in high magnetic field in topological insulator Bi2Se3 films. As revealed by tilted magnetic field measurement, this linear magneto-resistance is associated with the gapless topological surface states and of quantum origin. In the ultra-thin limit, the inter-surface tunneling induced surface state gap opening quenches the linear magneto-resistance. Instead, weak negative magneto-resistance is observed in high magnetic fields in ultra-thin films.