Realization of a vertical topological p–n junction in epitaxial Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 heterostructures

Markus Eschbach, Ewa Młyńczak, Jens Kellner, Jörn Kampmeier, Martin Lanius, Elmar Neumann, Christian Weyrich, Mathias Gehlmann, Pika Gospodarič, Sven Döring, Gregor Mussler, Nataliya Demarina, Martina Luysberg, Gustav Bihlmayer, Thomas Schäpers, Lukasz Plucinski (), Stefan Blügel, Markus Morgenstern, Claus M. Schneider and Detlev Grützmacher
Additional contact information
Markus Eschbach: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Ewa Młyńczak: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Jens Kellner: RWTH Aachen University, II Institute of Physics B and JARA-FIT
Jörn Kampmeier: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT
Martin Lanius: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT
Elmar Neumann: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons
Christian Weyrich: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT
Mathias Gehlmann: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Pika Gospodarič: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Sven Döring: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Gregor Mussler: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT
Nataliya Demarina: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-2) and JARA-FIT
Martina Luysberg: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons
Gustav Bihlmayer: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-1) and JARA-FIT
Thomas Schäpers: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT
Lukasz Plucinski: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Stefan Blügel: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-1) and JARA-FIT
Markus Morgenstern: RWTH Aachen University, II Institute of Physics B and JARA-FIT
Claus M. Schneider: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) and JARA-FIT
Detlev Grützmacher: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9) and JARA-FIT

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators are a new state of quantum matter, which exhibits both a bulk band structure with an insulating energy gap as well as metallic spin-polarized Dirac fermion states when interfaced with a topologically trivial material. There have been various attempts to tune the Dirac point to a desired energetic position for exploring its unusual quantum properties. Here we show a direct experimental proof by angle-resolved photoemission of the realization of a vertical topological p–n junction made of a heterostructure of two different binary 3D TI materials Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 epitaxially grown on Si(111). We demonstrate that the chemical potential is tunable by about 200 meV when decreasing the upper Sb2Te3 layer thickness from 25 to 6 quintuple layers without applying any external bias. These results make it realistic to observe the topological exciton condensate and pave the way for exploring other exotic quantum phenomena in the near future.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9816

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