Interface‐Dominated Topological Transport in Nanograined Bulk Bi2Te3. Issue 42 (21st September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Izadi, Sepideh; Han, Jeong Woo; Salloum, Sarah; Wolff, Ulrike; Schnatmann, Lauritz; Asaithambi, Aswin; Matschy, Sebastian; Schlörb, Heike; Reith, Heiko; Perez, Nicolas; Nielsch, Kornelius; Schulz, Stephan; Mittendorff, Martin; Schierning, Gabi
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 17:Issue 42(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-09-21
• Subjects: bismuth telluride -- nanograined bulk -- THz spectroscopy -- topological insulators -- weak antilocalization; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202103281
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract: 3D topological insulators (TI) host surface carriers with extremely high mobility. However, their transport properties are typically dominated by bulk carriers that outnumber the surface carriers by orders of magnitude. A strategy is herein presented to overcome the problem of bulk carrier domination by using 3D TI nanoparticles, which are compacted by hot pressing to macroscopic nanograined bulk samples. Bi2 Te3 nanoparticles well known for their excellent thermoelectric and 3D TI properties serve as the model system. As key enabler for this approach, a specific synthesis is applied that creates nanoparticles with a low level of impurities and surface contamination. The compacted nanograined bulk contains a high number of interfaces and grain boundaries. Here it is shown that these samples exhibit metallic‐like electrical transport properties and a distinct weak antilocalization. A downward trend in the electrical resistivity at temperatures below 5 K is attributed to an increase in the coherence length by applying the Hikami–Larkin–Nagaoka model. THz time‐domain spectroscopy reveals a dominance of the surface transport at low frequencies with a mobility of above 10 3 cm 2 V −1 s −1 even at room temperature. These findings clearly demonstrate that nanograined bulk Bi2 Te3 features surface carrier properties that are of importance for technical applications. Abstract : Three dimensional topological insulators are of great interest for technical applications owing to their protected surface carriers. This work characterizes chiral Dirac carriers using nanograined bulk materials. Compacted Bi2 Te3 nanoparticles prove evidence of quantum interference transport on a bulk macroscopic sample. Time‐domain Terahertz spectroscopy confirms high mobility Dirac carriers taking advantage of a plasmon resonance.