Synthesis of SnTe Nanoplates with {100} and {111} Surfaces

Abstract

SnTe is a topological crystalline insulator that possesses spin-polarized, Dirac-dispersive surface states protected by crystal symmetry. Multiple surface states exist on the {100}, {110}, and {111} surfaces of SnTe, with the band structure of surface states depending on the mirror symmetry of a particular surface. Thus, to access surface states selectively, it is critical to control the morphology of SnTe such that only desired crystallographic surfaces are present. Here, we grow SnTe nanostructures using vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-solid growth mechanisms. Previously, SnTe nanowires and nanocrystals have been grown.1-4 In this report, we demonstrate synthesis of SnTe nanoplates with lateral dimensions spanning tens of microns and thicknesses of a hundred nanometers. The top and bottom surfaces are either (100) or (111), maximizing topological surface states on these surfaces. Magnetotransport on these SnTe nanoplates shows high bulk carrier density, consistent with bulk SnTe crystals arising due to defects such as Sn vacancies. In addition, we observe a structural phase transition in these nanoplates from the high temperature rock salt to low temperature rhombohedral structure. For nanoplates with very high carrier density, we observe a slight upturn in resistance at low temperatures, indicating electron-electron interactions.

Nano Lett., Article ASAP,2014

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• Quantum Spin Hall Insulator State in HgTe Quantum Wells
• Topological Crystalline Insulators
• Few-layer Nanoplates of Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 with Highly Tunable Chemical Potential
• Tunable Surface Conductivity in Bi2Se3 Revealed in Diffusive Electron Transport
• Enhanced superconducting pairing interaction in indium-doped tin telluride
• Synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials of the topological crystalline insulator SnTe

Cited by in corpus (7)

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• Revealing surface states in In-doped SnTe superconducting nanoplates with low bulk mobility
• Topological Crystalline Insulator Nanostructures
• Electrically Tunable Quantum Spin Hall State in Topological Crystalline Insulator Thin films
• Topological, Valleytronic, and Optical Properties of Monolayer PbS
• Defect-free SnTe topological crystalline insulator nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy on graphene
• Prediction of Topological Crystalline Insulator and Topological Phase Transitions in Two-dimensional PbTe Films