Topological transport and atomic tunnelling–clustering dynamics for aged Cu-doped Bi2Te3 crystals

Taishi Chen, Qian Chen, Koen Schouteden, Wenkai Huang, Xuefeng Wang, Zhe Li, Feng Miao, Xinran Wang, Zhaoguo Li, Bo Zhao, Shaochun Li, Fengqi Song (), Jinlan Wang (), Baigeng Wang (), Chris Van Haesendonck and Guanghou Wang
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Taishi Chen: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Qian Chen: Southeast University
Koen Schouteden: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven
Wenkai Huang: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Xuefeng Wang: School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
Zhe Li: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven
Feng Miao: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Xinran Wang: School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
Zhaoguo Li: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Bo Zhao: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Shaochun Li: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Fengqi Song: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Jinlan Wang: Southeast University
Baigeng Wang: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University
Chris Van Haesendonck: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven
Guanghou Wang: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Enhancing the transport contribution of surface states in topological insulators is vital if they are to be incorporated into practical devices. Such efforts have been limited by the defect behaviour of Bi2Te3 (Se3) topological materials, where the subtle bulk carrier from intrinsic defects is dominant over the surface electrons. Compensating such defect carriers is unexpectedly achieved in (Cu0.1Bi0.9)2Te3.06 crystals. Here we report the suppression of the bulk conductance of the material by four orders of magnitude by intense ageing. The weak antilocalization analysis, Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy corroborate the transport of the topological surface states. Scanning tunnelling microscopy reveals that Cu atoms are initially inside the quintuple layers and migrate to the layer gaps to form Cu clusters during the ageing. In combination with first-principles calculations, an atomic tunnelling–clustering picture across a diffusion barrier of 0.57 eV is proposed.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6022

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