Spin Hall photoconductance in a three-dimensional topological insulator at room temperature

Paul Seifert, Kristina Vaklinova, Sergey Ganichev, Klaus Kern, Marko Burghard and Alexander W. Holleitner ()
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Paul Seifert: Technische Universität München
Kristina Vaklinova: Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung
Sergey Ganichev: University of Regensburg
Klaus Kern: Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung
Marko Burghard: Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung
Alexander W. Holleitner: Technische Universität München

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Three-dimensional topological insulators are a class of Dirac materials, wherein strong spin-orbit coupling leads to two-dimensional surface states. The latter feature spin-momentum locking, i.e., each momentum vector is associated with a spin locked perpendicularly to it in the surface plane. While the principal spin generation capability of topological insulators is well established, comparatively little is known about the interaction of the spins with external stimuli like polarized light. We observe a helical, bias-dependent photoconductance at the lateral edges of topological Bi2Te2Se platelets for perpendicular incidence of light. The same edges exhibit also a finite bias-dependent Kerr angle, indicative of spin accumulation induced by a transversal spin Hall effect in the bulk states of the Bi2Te2Se platelets. A symmetry analysis shows that the helical photoconductance is distinct to common longitudinal photoconductance and photocurrent phenomena, but consistent with optically injected spins being transported in the side facets of the platelets.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02671-1

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