Topological Insulator Sb2Te3 Research Articles

ALD growth of ultra-thin Co layers on the topological insulator Sb2Te3

Taking the full advantage of the conformal growth characterizing atomic layer deposition (ALD), the possibility to grow Co thin films, with thickness from several tens down to few nanometers on top of a granular topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3 film, exhibiting a quite high surface roughness (2–5 nm), was demonstrated. To study the Co growth on the Sb2Te3 substrate, we performed simultaneous Co depositions also on sputtered Pt substrates for comparison. We conducted a thorough chemical-structural characterization of the Co/Sb2Te3 and Co/Pt heterostructures, confirming for both cases, not only an excellent conformality, but also the structural continuity of the Co layers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analyses evidenced that Co on Sb2Te3 grows preferentially oriented along the [00l] direction, following the underlying rhombohedric substrate. Differently, Co crystallizes in a cubic phase oriented along the [111] direction when deposited on Pt. This work shows that, in case of deposition of crystalline materials, the ALD surface selectivity and conformality can be extended to the definition of local epitaxy, where in-plane ordering of the crystal structure and mosaicity of the developed crystallized grains are dictated by the underlying substrate. Moreover, a highly sharp and chemically-pure Co/Sb2Te3 interface was evidenced, which is promising for the application of this growth process for spintronics.

Band-structure engineering of the magnetically Cr-doped topological insulator Sb2Te3 under mechanical strain

Magnetic doping in topological insulator Sb2Te3 can produce very novel physical phenomena such as quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE). However, experimental observations of QAHE in the magnetic atoms doped Sb2Te3 have encountered significant challenges due to the complexity of the electronic structure and the relatively small band gap. Generally, mechanical strain can effectively modulate the band structure, thus we theoretically investigate the electronic structures of Cr-doped Sb2Te3 under mechanical strain using first-principles calculations within density functional theory. The band gap of Cr-doped Sb2Te3 is 0.031 eV. When the compressive strain η becomes as −2%, the band gap will be further enlarged to 0.045 eV, which is 45% larger than that of the unstrained material. However, as the compressive strain η exceed −2%, strong hybridization between Cr and Te atoms will cause the overlap of bands, which leads to the closure of band gap. In addition, when tensile strain is applied to Cr-doped Sb2Te3, the decrease in the spacing between quintuple layers can enhance the coupling between Te and Sb atoms, which can also result in the closing of the band gap. Finally, we used HSE06 to calculated the band gaps. The band gaps may be underestimated, but HSE06 and GGA have the same band structures evolution tendency under mechanical strain. Our calculated results provide a guideline for the modulation of band structure by mechanical strain, which pave the way for the observation of QAHE in Cr-doped Sb2Te3.

Transient Fano Resonance in topological insulators observed by coherent phonon spectroscopy

We report upon observation of a transient Fano resonance, a quantum interference between coherent phonon and Dirac plasmons, that persisted for up to 1 picosecond in the topological insulator Sb2Te3 investigated using coherent phonon spectroscopy.

Chemical, structural and magnetic properties of the Fe/Sb2Te3 interface

Abstract Interfacing topological insulators (TI) with ferromagnetic (FM) layers is a promising route towards the next generation of ultra-low power spintronic devices based on charge-to-spin current conversion. Here, we present the Fe/Sb2Te3 interface structure, its chemical composition and magnetic properties. Thin films (30 nm) of the topological insulator Sb2Te3 were synthesized by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) at room temperature on Si/SiO2 substrates, then capped with a 54Fe(10 nm)/57Fe(1 nm) bilayer by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) to allow interface-sensitive Conversion Electron Mossbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the polycrystalline nature of both the Fe and Sb2Te3 layers. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) identified a non-trivial layered structure with the presence of an intermixed layer at the Fe/Sb2Te3 interface. Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) confirmed the partial elemental interdiffusion between the Fe and Sb2Te3 layers. Interface-sensitive CEMS evidenced that about a half of the 1-nm-thick 57Fe layer in contact with Sb2Te3 coordinates ferromagnetically, whereas the remaining paramagnetic fraction preferentially bonds with Te. The Fe/Sb2Te3 system was shown to have a far from sharp interface, exhibiting a marked chemical reactivity already at room temperature. The tendency of Fe to preferentially bond with the chalcogenide element of topological insulators has been previously observed for the interface with Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3, thus suggesting a possible universal behavior at the interface between Fe and chalcogenide-based TI.

Independence of topological surface state and bulk conductance in three-dimensional topological insulators

The archetypical 3D topological insulators Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and Sb2Te3 commonly exhibit high bulk conductivities, hindering the characterization of the surface state charge transport. The optimally doped topological insulators Bi2Te2Se and Bi2−xSbxTe2S, however, allow for such characterizations to be made. Here we report an experimental comparison of the conductance for the topological surface and bulk states in Bi2Te2Se and Bi1.1Sb0.9Te2S, based on temperature-dependent high-pressure measurements. We find that the surface state conductance at low temperature remains constant in the face of orders of magnitude increase in the bulk state conductance, revealing in a straightforward way that the topological surface states and bulk states are decoupled at low temperatures, consistent with theoretical models, and confirming topological insulators to be an excellent venue for studying charge transport in 2D Dirac electron systems.

Angular-momentum nanometrology in an ultrathin plasmonic topological insulator film

Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology has provided a highly sensitive detection platform for high-resolution optical imaging, sensing and metrology. Although the detection of optical beams carrying angular momentum have been explored with nanophotonic methods, the metrology of optical angular momentum has been limited to bulk optics. We demonstrate angular-momentum nanometrology through the spatial displacement engineering of plasmonic angular momentum modes in a CMOS-compatible plasmonic topological insulator material. The generation and propagation of surface plasmon polaritons on the surface of an ultrathin topological insulator Sb2Te3 film with a thickness of 100 nm is confirmed, exhibiting plasmonic figures of merit superior to noble metal plasmonics in the ultraviolet-visible frequency range. Angular-momentum nanometrology with a low crosstalk of less than −20 dB is achieved. This compact high-precision angular-momentum nanometrology opens an unprecedented opportunity for on-chip manipulation of optical angular momentum for high-capacity information processing, ultrasensitive molecular sensing, and ultracompact multi-functional optoelectronic devices.

Electronic fingerprints of Cr and V dopants in the topological insulator Sb2Te3

By combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we systematically study the local electronic states of magnetic dopants V and Cr in the topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3. Spectroscopic imaging shows diverse local defect states between Cr and V, which agree with our first-principle calculations. The unique spectroscopic features of V and Cr dopants provide electronic fingerprints for the co-doped magnetic TI samples with the enhanced quantum anomalous Hall effect. Our results also facilitate the exploration of the underlying mechanism of the enhanced quantum anomalous Hall temperature in Cr/V co-doped TIs.

Impact of Ultrathin Pb Films on the Topological Surface and Quantum-Well States of Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 Topological Insulators

The effect of an ultrathin Pb film deposited on the surface of Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 compounds on the electronic state structure of topological insulators is studied experimentally by the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) technique. The following features are revealed: formation of two-dimensional quantum-well states in the near-surface region, an increase in the binding energy of the Dirac cone and the core levels, and a simultaneous electronic states intensity redistribution in the system in photoemission spectra. The results obtained show that topological states may coexist at the interface between studied materials and a superconductor, which seems to be promising for application in quantum computers.

Superconductivity, Magnetoresistance, Magnetic Anomaly and Crystal Structure of New Phases of Topological Insulators Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3

We synthesized a new metastable phase of Bi2Se3 topological insulator by a rapid quenching after a high-pressure-high-temperature treatment at P≈7.7 GPa; 673<T<1400 K. The structure of metastable phase is monoclinic P21/m type. We observed the zero-field magnetic susceptibility cusp and linear positive magnetoresistance indicating the topological insulator state. The annealing at 673 K during 2 hours resulted in complete reversible transformation into the initial crystalline rhombohedral structure. Also we synthesized bulk polycrystalline samples of metastable at ambient conditions monoclinic (C2/m) phase of Sb2Te3 by rapid quenching after a high-pressure–high-temperature treatment at P=3.7–7.7 GPa; T=873 K and found superconductivity with Tc=2 K. A zero-field magnetic susceptibility cusp and linear positive magnetoresistance indicate a topological insulator state.

Ab-initio calculation of surface phonons at the Sb2Te3(111) surface

Density functional perturbation theory is used to study the phonon dispersion relations at the (111) surface of the topological insulator Sb2Te3. Inelastic Helium atom scattering experiments at the (111) surface of the similar Bi2Se3 topological insulator suggested the occurrence of a deep Kohn anomaly related to the presence of the topological surface metallic state. A slab made of three Sb2Te3 quintuple layers is used here to model the (111) surface. This geometry is shown to be sufficient to generate metallic Dirac surface states in good agreement with experimental data from Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy. The inclusion of spin-orbit interaction in the calculations of surface phonons at wavevectors corresponding to Fermi surface nesting inside the Dirac cone allow us to address the possible occurrence of a Kohn anomaly in Sb2Te3(111) as well. No evidence is found in our calculations for any Kohn anomaly in Sb2Te3 due to electronic transitions across the Dirac cone.

Antiferromagnetic Ordering at Room Temperature in Co-Doped Sb2Te3 Topological Insulators

Structural and magnetic properties of Co-doped Sb2Te3 topological insulators have been investigated. Surface morphology was studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) study reveals the mixed states of Co in Co2+ and Co3+. Magnetic study indicates that the substitution of Co in Sb2Te3 not only tune the materials from diamagnetic to antiferromagnetic (even at room temperature) but also propose a promising materials for antiferromagnetic TI which may be useful even for room temperature applications.

Growth of Twin-Free and Low-Doped Topological Insulators on BaF2(111)

We demonstrate the growth of twin-free Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 topological insulators by molecular beam epitaxy and a sizable reduction of the twin density in Bi2Se3 on lattice-matched BaF2(111) substrates. Using X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy, we systematically investigate the parameters influencing the formation of twin domains and the morphology of the films, and show that Se- and Te-based alloys differ by their growth mechanism. Optimum growth parameters are shown to result in intrinsically low-doped films, as probed by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. In contrast to previous approaches in which twin-free Bi2Se3 films are achieved by increasing the substrate roughness, the quality of our Bi2Te3 is superior on the flattest BaF2 substrates. This finding indicates that, during nucleation, the films not only interact with the topmost atomic substrate layer but also with buried layers that provide the necessary stacking information to promote a single twin, an obser...

Nano-Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy on Topological insulator Sb2Te3 nanowires responsible of quantum transport

Using high-resolution Nano-Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (Nano-ARPES), we have determined the electronic structure of the surface and bulk states of topological insulator Sb2Te3 nanowires, which have been also characterized by magnetoresistance measurements. The observed Aharonov-Bohm-type oscillations could be unambiguously related to the transport by topological protected surface states directly recorded by photoemission. We have measured Nano-ARPES on individual nanowires of a few nanometers wide to provide direct evidence of the existence of the nontrivial topological surface states, as well as their doping. Our findings are consistent with theoretical predictions and confirm that the surface states of intrinsically doped unidimensional topological insulator nanowires are responsible for the quantum transport.

Magnetoresistance oscillations in MBE-grown Sb2Te3 thin films

We report on the Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations in the longitudinal resistance of thin films of three-dimensional topological insulator Sb2Te3 grown by means of molecular beam epitaxy. The oscillations persist up to the temperatures of 30 K, and the measurements at various tilt angles reveal that they originate from a two-dimensional system. Using a top gate, we further study the change of oscillation amplitude and frequency, which in combination with the standard Hall measurements suggest the origin of oscillations to be at the interface between the film and the Si substrate.

Group IV semiconductor Ge integration with topological insulator Sb2Te3 for spintronic application

Sb2Te3/Ge heterojunctions were grown on deoxidized GaAs (0 0 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy to explore a new type of spin torque device. Despite the large lattice mismatch between Ge and Sb2Te3, the films display highly uniform fabrication and good crystallinity, which have been confirmed by structural characterization. The band structures of Sb2Te3/Ge heterojunctions were investigated by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. Small chemical shift of Sb 3d5/2 indicates that TI conducting surface is not destroyed, and Ge valence band bending contributes to Fermi level depinning. The band offset of Sb2Te3/Ge heterojunctions is different from common gate dielectric/Ge heterojunctions. The integral quality of the heterostructure reveals the potential of combining topological insulators with semiconductors for the advancement of spintronic devices.

First‐principle calculations of optical properties of monolayer arsenene and antimonene allotropes

Recently a stable monolayer of antimony in buckled honeycomb structure called antimonene was successfully grown on 3D topological insulator Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3, which displays novel semiconducting properties. By first‐principle calculations, we systematically investigate the electronic and optical properties of α‐ and β‐allotropes of monolayer arsenene/antimonene. The obtained electronic structures reveal that the direct band gap of α‐arsenene/antimonene is much smaller than the indirect band gap of their β‐counterpart, respectively. Significant absorption is observed in α‐antimonene, which can be used as a broad saturable absorber. For β‐arsenene/antimonene, the reflectivity is low and the absorption is negligible in the visible region when the polarization along the out‐plane direction, indicating that β‐arsenene/antimonene are polarizationally transparent materials.image

Self-consistent Bogoliubov–de Gennes theory of the vortex lattice state in a two-dimensional strongly type-II superconductor at high magnetic fields

A self-consistent Bogoliubov deGennes theory of the vortex lattice state in a 2D strong type-II superconductor at high magnetic fields reveals a novel quantum mixed state around the semiclassical Hc2, characterized by a well-defined Landau--Bloch band structure in the quasi-particle spectrum and suppressed order-parameter amplitude, which sharply crossover into the well-known semiclassical (Helfand-Werthamer) results upon decreasing magnetic field. Application to the 2D superconducting state observed recently on the surface of the topological insulator Sb2Te3, accounts well for the experimental data, revealing a strong type-II superconductor, with unusually low carrier density and very small cyclotron mass, which can be realized only in the strong coupling superconductor limit.

Topography and structure of ultrathin topological insulator Sb2Te3 films on Si(111) grown by means of molecular beam epitaxy

We have studied the growth process of the topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3 on Si(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy. High quality thin films from more than 22nm down to 1nm in thickness have been deposited by molecular beam epitaxy. To determine the thickness and domain formation of the films, x-ray reflectivity and x-ray diffraction were utilized. In comparison to previous studies of the TI Bi2Te3, the growth mechanism of Sb2Te3 shows a similar transition from nucleation and growth in Sb–Te and Te–Te bilayers, respectively, to mound formation for thicker films. Atom probe tomography measurements reveal a intermixed interface between Sb2Te3 and Si(111) substrate. These findings can explain the high density of defects and domains.

Electrical Detection of the Helical Spin Texture in a p-type Topological Insulator Sb2Te3.

The surface states of 3D topological insulators (TIs) exhibit a helical spin texture with spin locked at right angles with momentum. The chirality of this spin texture is expected to invert crossing the Dirac point, a property that has been experimentally observed by optical probes. Here, we directly determine the chirality below the Dirac point by electrically detecting spin-momentum locking in surface states of a p-type TI, Sb2Te3. A current flowing in the Sb2Te3 surface states generates a net spin polarization due to spin-momentum locking, which is electrically detected as a voltage on an Fe/Al2O3 tunnel barrier detector. Measurements of this voltage as a function of current direction and detector magnetization indicate that hole spin-momentum locking follows the right-hand rule, opposite that of electron, providing direct confirmation that the chirality is indeed inverted below Dirac point. The spin signal is linear with current, and exhibits a temperature dependence consistent with the semiconducting nature of the TI film and freeze-out of bulk conduction below 100 K. Our results demonstrate that the chirality of the helical spin texture of TI surface states can be determined electrically, an enabling step in the electrical manipulation of spins in next generation TI-based quantum devices.

Electronic and magnetic properties of H-terminated graphene nanoribbons deposited on the topological insulator Sb2Te3.

Magnetism in zigzag graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) has received enormous attention recently, due to the one-dimensional nature of this phenomenon, as well as its potential applications in the field of spintronics. In this work, we present a density functional theory (DFT) investigation of H-passivated GNRs on the (111) surface of the topological insulator Sb2Te3. We show that the chemical interaction between the GNR and the substrate is weak. As a result, the GNR-surface distance is large, of the order of 3.4 Angstrom, doping effects are almost negligible, and the mean-field magnetic properties of the GNR are preserved. Nevertheless, the presence of the substrate affects significantly the magnitude of the exchange coupling constants between the edges. Although our DFT calculations do not properly describe quantum fluctuations that destabilize the edge magnetism in free-standing GNRs, they provide important information about the stabilizing mechanisms which originate from the substrate-induced spin orbit coupling and the decoherence effects due to the surface states of Sb2Te3. We argue that, owing to these mechanisms, Sb2Te3 may be a suitable substrate to investigate experimentally the transition from “quantum” to “classical” magnetism in GNRs.