In-plane Topological p-n Junction in the Three-Dimensional Topological Insulator Bi${}_{2-x}$Sb${}_x$Te${}_{3-y}$Se${}_y$

Abstract

A topological p-n junction (TPNJ) is an important concept to control spin and charge transport on a surface of three dimensional topological insulators (3D-TIs). Here we report successful fabrication of such TPNJ on a surface of 3D-TI Bi${}_{2-x}$Sb${}_x$Te${}_{3-y}$Se${}_y$ thin films and experimental observation of the electrical transport. By tuning the chemical potential of n-type topological Dirac surface of BSTS on its top half by employing tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane as an organic acceptor molecule, a half surface can be converted to p-type with leaving the other half side as the opposite n-type, and consequently TPNJ can be created. By sweeping the back-gate voltage in the field effect transistor structure, the TPNJ was controlled both on the bottom and the top surfaces. A dramatic change in electrical transport observed at the TPNJ on 3D-TI thin films promises novel spin and charge transport of 3D-TIs for future spintronics.

31pages, 5 figures

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Cited by in corpus (13)

• Large-Area and Transferred High-Quality Three-Dimensional Topological Insulator Bi2-xSbxTe3-ySey Ultrathin Film by Catalyst-Free Physical Vapor Deposition
• Thermoelectric properties of 3D topological insulator: Direct observation of topological surface and its gap opened states
• Proximity-Induced Spin-Orbit Coupling in Graphene-Bi${}_{1.5}$Sb${}_{0.5}$Te${}_{1.7}$Se${}_{1.3}$ Heterostructures
• Spintronic signatures of Klein tunneling in topological insulators
• Spatial Control of Charge Doping in n-Type Topological Insulators
• Versatile Large-Area Custom-Feature van der Waals Epitaxy of Topological Insulators
• Ultrathin film of 3D topological insulators by vapor-phase epitaxy: Surface dominant transport in wide temperature revealed by Seebeck measurement
• Deformable Molecular Crystal on 2D Crystal: A New Way to Build Nanoscale Periodic Trapping Sites for Interlayer Excitons
• Quantum transport through three-dimensional topological insulator p-n junction under magnetic field
• Selective generation and amplification of RKKY interactions by P-N interface
• Realizing a topological diode effect on the surface of a topological Kondo insulator
• Tracing Dirac points of topological surface states by ferromagnetic resonance
• Super-resonant transport of topological surface states subjected to in-plane magnetic fields