Tuning the vertical location of helical surface states in topological insulator heterostructures via dual-proximity effects

In integrating topological insulators (TIs) with conventional materials, one crucial issue is how the topological surface states (TSS) will behave in such heterostructures. We use first-principles approaches to establish accurate tunability of the vertical location of the TSS via intriguing dual-pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2013-01
Main Authors: Wu, Guangfen, Chen, Hua, Sun, Yan, Li, Xiaoguang, Cui, Ping, Franchini, Cesare, Wang, Jinlan, Xing-Qiu, Chen, Zhang, Zhenyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bismuth tellurides
First principles
Heterostructures
Hybrid systems
Metals
Phase transitions
Substrates
Topological insulators
Topology
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Summary:In integrating topological insulators (TIs) with conventional materials, one crucial issue is how the topological surface states (TSS) will behave in such heterostructures. We use first-principles approaches to establish accurate tunability of the vertical location of the TSS via intriguing dual-proximity effects. By depositing a conventional insulator (CI) overlayer onto a TI substrate (Bi2Se3 or Bi2Te3), we demonstrate that, the TSS can float to the top of the CI film, or stay put at the CI/TI interface, or be pushed down deeper into the otherwise structurally homogeneous TI substrate. These contrasting behaviors imply a rich variety of possible quantum phase transitions in the hybrid systems, dictated by key material-specific properties of the CI. These discoveries lay the foundation for accurate manipulation of the real space properties of TSS in TI heterostructures of diverse technological significance.
ISSN:2331-8422