Intrinsic conduction through topological surface states of insulating Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$ epitaxial thin films

Abstract

Topological insulators represent a novel state of matter with surface charge carriers having a massless Dirac dispersion and locked helical spin polarization. Many exciting experiments have been proposed by theory, yet, their execution have been hampered by the extrinsic conductivity associated with the unavoidable presence of defects in Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$ and Bi${}_2$Se${}_3$ bulk single crystals as well as impurities on their surfaces. Here we present the preparation of Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$ thin films that are insulating in the bulk and the four-point probe measurement of the conductivity of the Dirac states on surfaces that are intrinsically clean. The total amount of charge carriers in the experiment is of order 10${}^{12}$ cm${}^{-2}$ only and mobilities up to 4,600 cm${}^2$/Vs have been observed. These values are achieved by carrying out the preparation, structural characterization, angle-resolved and x-ray photoemission analysis, and the temperature dependent four-point probe conductivity measurement all in-situ under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. This experimental approach opens the way to prepare devices that can exploit the intrinsic topological properties of the Dirac surface states.

arXiv commentaccepted for publication in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)

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Cited by in corpus (27)

• Colloquium: Topological Band Theory
• Toward the intrinsic limit of topological insulator Bi2Se3
• In-situ spectroscopy of intrinsic Bi2Te3 topological insulator thin films and impact of extrinsic defects
• Protective capping of topological surface states of intrinsically insulating Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$
• Gate-tunable transport properties of in-situ capped Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$ topological insulator thin films
• Impurity scattering on the surface of topological insulator thin films
• Magnetotransport signatures of three-dimensional topological insulator nanostructures
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• Quantum Transport and Potential of Topological States for Thermoelectricity in Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$ Thin Films
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• Expediting hydrogen evolution through topological surface states on Bi2Te3
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