Transport properties of doped Bi_2Se_3 and Bi_2Te_3 topological insulators and heterostructures

In this review article, the recent experimental and theoretical research progress in Bi_2Se_3-and Bi_2Te_3-based topological insulators is presented, with a focus on the transport properties and modulation of the transport properties by doping with nonmagnetic and magnetic elements. The electrical transport properties are discussed for a few different types of topological insulator heterostructures, such as heterostructures formed by Bi_2Se_3-and Bi_2Te_3-based binary/ternary/quaternary compounds and superconductors, nonmagnetic and magnetic metals, or semiconductors.     

Site Preference of Se and Te in Bi_2Se_(3-x)Te_x Thin Films

The ternary topological insulators Bi₂Se_3-xTe_x have attracted a great deal of attention due to their exotic physical and chemical properties.While most of the studies focus on the properties of these ternary TIs,limited research was performed to investigate the dynamic atomic stack of its crystal structure.We prepared highquality Bi₂Se_3-xTe_x thin films on Ga As(111)B substrates using molecular beam epitaxy,characterized with Raman...     

Synthesis and magnetotransport properties of Bi_2Se_3 nanowires

Bi_2Se_3, as a three-dimensional topological insulator, has attracted worldwide attention for its unique surface states which are protected by time-reversal symmetry. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of high-quality singlecrystalline Bi_2Se_3 nanowires. Bi_2Se_3 nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition(CVD) method via goldcatalyzed vapor-liquid-solid(VLS) mechanism. The structure and morphology were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. In magnetotransport measurements, the Aharonov–Bohm(AB) effect was observed in a nanowire-based nanodevice, suggesting the existence of surface states in Bi_2Se_3 nanowires.     

Femtosecond Tm-Ho co-doped fiber laser using a bulk-structured Bi_2Se_3 topological insulator

We experimentally demonstrate a femtosecond mode-locked thulium-holmium(Tm-Ho) co-doped fiber laser incorporating a saturable absorber(SA) based on a bulk-structured bismuth selenide(Bi_2Se_3) topological insulator(TI). The SA was prepared by depositing a mechanically exfoliated Bi_2Se_3 TI layer onto a side-polished optical fiber platform. Unlike high-quality nano-structured Bi_2Se_3 TI-based SA, bulk-structured Bi_2Se_3 with non-negligible oxidation was used as a saturable absorption material for this experimental demonstration due to its easy fabrication process. The saturation power and modulation depth of the prepared SA were measured to be ~ 28.6 W and ~13.4%, respectively. By incorporating the prepared SA into a Tm-Ho co-doped fiber ring cavity, stable soliton pulses with a temporal width of ~ 853 fs could be generated at 1912.12 nm. The 3-dB bandwidth of the mode-locked pulse was measured to be ~4.87 nm. This experimental demonstration reaffirms that Bi_2Se_3 is a superb base material for mid-infrared passive mode-locking even under oxidation.     

Ferromagnetism on a paramagnetic host background in cobalt-doped Bi_2Se_3 topological insulator

Cobalt-doped Bi2Se3topological insulators have been grown though melt-grown reaction. The Bi2Se3matrix is diamagnetic and doped sample is a superposition of ferromagnetism(FM) and paramagnetism(PM) behavior at low temperature. The values of MSmol, Hc, and Mr increase as the Co concentration increases. Two possible explanations have been proposed for the origin of ferromagnetism in Co-doped Bi2Se3. One is the magnetic ordering from nanoclusters of Co–Se compound in the crystals, and the other is Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida(RKKY) interaction between magnetic impurities.     

硫化铋微晶掺杂薄膜的制备及光学性能的研究

用溶胶－凝胶法能够有效地制备含０．５％的具有量子尺寸效应的Ｂｉ２Ｓ３微晶掺杂硅薄膜。薄膜的室温透射光谱发现，在５００℃热处理时，随着热处理时间的延长，薄膜的特征透射谱谷会发生向长波方向的移动，作者认为这样的移动于量子尺寸效应。本文还报道了在ＹＡＧ强激光的作用下能够观察到薄膜样品所产生的倍频信号，并讨论了产生倍频的原因。     

Soliton mode-locked fiber laser with high-quality MBE-grown Bi_2Se_3 film

In this work, a soliton mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser(EDFL) with a high-quality molecular beam epitaxy(MBE)-grown topological insulator(TI) Bi_2Se_3 saturable absorber(SA) is reported. To fabricate the SA device, a 16-layer Bi_2Se_3 film was grown successfully on a 100 μm thick SiO_2 substrate and sandwiched directly between two fiber ferrules. The TI-SA had a saturable absorption of 1.12% and a saturable influence of 160 MW/cm~2.After inserting the TI-SA into the unidirectional ring-cavity EDFL, self-starting mode-locked soliton pulse trains were obtained at a fundamental repetition rate of 19.352 MHz. The output central wavelength, pulse energy,pulse duration, and signal to noise ratio of the radio frequency spectrum were 1530 nm,18.5 p J, 1.08 ps, and 60d Bm, respectively. These results demonstrate that the MBE technique could provide a controllable and repeatable method for the fabrication of identical high-quality TI-SAs, which is critically important for ultra-fast pulse generation.     

Electronic states and spin-filter effect in three-dimensional topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 nanoribbons

We study the electronic band structure, density distribution, and transport of a Bi_2Se_3 nanoribbon. We find that the density distribution of the surface states is dependent on not only the shape and size of the transverse cross section of the nanoribbon, but also the energy of the electron. We demonstrate that a transverse electric field can eliminate the coupling between surface states on the walls of the nanoribbon, remove the gap of the surface states, and restore the quantum spin Hall effects. In addition, we study the spin-dependent transport property of the surface states transmitting from top and bottom surfaces(x-y plane) to the side surfaces(z-x plane) of a Bi_2Se_3 nanoribbon. We find that transverse electric fields can open two surface channels for spin-up and-down Dirac electrons, and then switch off one channel for the spin-up Dirac electron. Our results may provide a simple way for the design of a spin filter based on topological insulator nanostructures.     

Dual-wavelength Bi_2Se_3-based passively Q-switching Nd~(3+)-doped glass all-fiber laser

We demonstrate a dual-wavelength passively Q-switched Nd~(3+)-doped glass fiber laser using a few-layer topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 as a saturable absorber(SA) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The laser resonator is a simple and compact linear cavity using two fiber end-facet mirrors. The SA is fabricated by Bi_2Se_3/polyvinyl alcohol composite film. By inserting the SA into the laser cavity, a stable Q-switching operation is achieved with the shortest pulse width and maximum pulse repetition rate of 601 ns and 205.2 kHz,respectively. The maximum average output power and maximum pulse energy obtained are about 6.6 mW and 38.8 nJ, respectively.     

Growth and transport properties of topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 thin film on a ferromagnetic insulating substrate

Exchange coupling between topological insulator and ferromagnetic insulator through proximity effect is strongly attractive for both fundamental physics and technological applications. Here we report a comprehensive investigation on the growth behaviors of prototype topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 thin film on a single-crystalline LaCoO_3 thin film on SrTiO_3 substrate, which is a strain-induced ferromagnetic insulator. Different from the growth on other substrates, the Bi_2Se_3 films with highest quality on LaCoO_3 favor a relatively low substrate temperature during growth. As a result, an inverse dependence of carrier mobility with the substrate temperature is found. Moreover, the magnetoresistance and coherence length of weak antilocalization also have a similar inverse dependence with the substrate temperature, as revealed by the magnetotransport measurements. Our experiments elucidate the special behaviors in Bi_2Se_3/LaCoO_3 heterostructures,which provide a good platform for exploring related novel quantum phenomena, and are inspiring for device applications.     

Acoustic plasmonics of Au grating/Bi_2Se_3 thin film/sapphire hybrid structures

The surface plasmon polaritons of the topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 can be excited by using etched grating or grave structures to compensate the wave vector mismatch of the incident photon and plasmon. Here, we demonstrate novel gold grating/Bi_2Se_3 thin film/sapphire hybrid structures, which allow the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons propagating through nondestructive Bi_2Se_3 thin film with the help of gold diffractive gratings. Utilizing periodic Au surface structures,the momentum can be matched and the normal-incidence infrared reflectance spectra exhibit pronounced dips. When the width of the gold grating W(with a periodicity 2 W) increases from 400 nm to 1500 nm, the resonant frequencies are tuned from about 7000 cm~(-1) to 2500 cm~(-1). In contrast to the expected ■ dispersion for both massive and massless fermions,where q ～π/W is the wave vector, we observe a sound-like linear dispersion even at room temperature. This surface plasmon polaritons with linear dispersion are attributed to the unique noninvasive fabrication method and high mobility of topological surface electrons. This novel structure provides a promising application of Dirac plasmonics.     

Effects of Thickness and Temperature on Thermoelectric Properties of Bi_2Te_3-Based Thin Films

Bi_2Te_3 thin films and GeTe/B_2Te_3 superlattices of different thicknesses are prepared on the silicon dioxide substrates by magnetron sputtering technique and thermally annealed at 573 K for 30 min. Thermoelectric(TE)measurements indicate that optimal thickness and thickness ratio improve the TE performance of Bi_2Te_3 thin films and GeTe/B_2Te_3 superlattices, respectively. High TE performances with figure-of-merit(ZT) values as high as 1.32 and 1.56 are achieved at 443 K for 30 nm and 50 nm Bi_2Te_3 thin films, respectively. These ZT values are higher than those of p-type Bi_2Te_3 alloys as reported. Relatively high ZT of the GeTe/B_2Te_3 superlattices at 300-380 K were 0.62-0.76. The achieved high ZT value may be attributed to the unique nano-and microstructures of the films,which increase phonon scattering and reduce thermal conductivity. The results indicate that Bi_2Te_3-based thin films can serve as high-performance materials for applications in TE devices.     

Quantum oscillations and nontrivial transport in(Bi_(0.92)In_(0.08))_2Se_3

Quantum phase transition in topological insulators has drawn heightened attention in condensed matter physics and future device applications.Here we report the magnetotransport properties of single crystalline(Bi_(0.92)In_(0.08))_2Se_3.The average mobility of～1000 cm~2·V~(-1)·s~(-1)is obtained from the Lorentz law at the low field(3 T)up to 50 K.The quantum oscillations rise at a field of～5 T,revealing a high mobility of～1.4×10~4cm~2·V~(-1)·s~(-1)at 2 K.The Dirac surface state is evident by the nontrivial Berry phase in the Landau–Fan diagram.The properties make the(Bi_(0.92)In_(0.08))_2Se_3a promising platform for the investigation of quantum phase transition in topological insulators.     

Reveal the nematic topological superconductivity from the anisotropic unconventional Josephson effect: Theory and application to doped Bi_2Se_3

We propose a scheme to reveal the possible nematic superconducting order parameter in the doped Bi_2Se_3 by observing the anisotropic unconventional Josephson effect without an external magnetic field. We find the presence of an intrinsic π-phase in the spin-triplet channel of Andreev reflection. Its competition with the odd-parity superconducting gap phase can lead to unconventional Josephson effect in the Josephson junction, whose normal region is connected to the same side of the superconductor,called the U-shaped junction according to its geometry. For Josephson junctions with the interfaces perpendicular to the nematic direction, the competition will lead to a Josephson π-junctions. In the case where the interface is parallel to the nematic direction, it will lead to a Josephson 0-junction. Thus, this can directly reflect the nematic superconductivity. It is worth noting that Josephson coupling with the 4π period appears only in the normal injected channels. Interestingly, if the Josephson junction adopts a conventional geometry, it always exhibits a normal Josephson 0-junction regardless of the gap function taken by the doped Bi_2Se_3 and therefore cannot distinguish the pairing symmetry. We thus propose a superconducting quantum interference device containing a U-shaped Josephson junction to detect nematic superconductivity. This proposal not only can be applied to detect nematic superconductivity but also provides a feasible platform for topological quantum computation.     

室温生长AZO/Al_2O_3叠层薄膜晶体管性能研究

针对目前大多数氧化物薄膜晶体管都需要采用热退火工艺来提高其性能不利于其在柔性显示器件中应用这一问题,提出了一种采用室温工艺制备的新型TFT器件,无需退火处理即可获得较好的器件性能。该器件采用脉冲激光沉积技术制备的AZO/Al_2O_3叠层结构作为沟道层。与单层AZO-TFT器件相比,叠层TFT器件具有更优异的性能,其迁移率为2.27 cm2·V-1·s-1,开关比为1.43×106。通过对AZO/Al_2O_3叠层薄膜的厚度、密度、粗糙度、物相、界面特性及能带结构等进行分析,发现这种叠层结构能够使电子的运动被限制在AZO薄膜平面内,即形成了二维电子传输,从而提升TFT器件的性能。     

Improved thermoelectric performance in p-type Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 bulk material by adding MnSb_2Se_4

Bismuth telluride(Bi_2Te_3) based alloys, such as p-type Bi_(0.5)Sb_(1.5)Te_3, have been leading candidates for near room temperature thermoelectric applications. In this study, Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 bulk materials with MnSb_2Se_4 were prepared using high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering(SPS) process. The addition of MnSb_2Se_4 to Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 increased the hole concentration while slightly decreasing the Seebeck coefficient, thus optimising the electrical transport properties of the bulk material. In addition, the second phases of MnSb_2Se_4 and Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 were observed in the Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 matrix. The nanoparticles in the semi-coherent second phase of MnSb_2Se_4 behaved as scattering centres for phonons,yielding a reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. Substantial enhancement of the figure of merit, ZT, has been achieved for Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 by adding an Mn_(0.8)Cu_(0.2)Sb_2Se_4(2mol%) sample, for a wide range of temperatures, with a peak value of 1.43 at 375 K, corresponding to ~40% improvement over its Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 counterpart. Such enhancement of the thermoelectric(TE) performance of p-type Bi_2Te_3 based materials is believed to be advantageous for practical applications.     

Gate Tunable Supercurrent in Josephson Junctions Based on Bi_2Te_3 Topological Insulator Thin Films

We report transport measurements on Josephson junctions consisting of Bi_2Te_3 topological insulator(TI) thin films contacted by superconducting Nb electrodes.For a device with junction length L=134 nm,the critical supercurrent I_c can be modulated by an electrical gate which tunes the carrier type and density of the TI film.I_c can reach a minimum when the TI is near the charge neutrality regime with the Fermi energy lying close to the Dirac point of the surface state.In the p-type regime the Josephson current can be well described by a short ballistic junction model.In the n-type regime the junction is ballistic at 0.7 K T 3.8 K while for T 0.7 K the diffusive bulk modes emerge and contribute a larger I_c than the ballistic model.We attribute the lack of diffusive bulk modes in the p-type regime to the formation of p-n junctions.Our work provides new clues for search of Majorana zero mode in TI-based superconducting devices.     

Ionic-Liquid-Gating Induced Protonation and Superconductivity in FeSe,FeSe_(0.93)S_(0.07), ZrNCl, 1T-TaS_2 and Bi_2Se_3

We report protonation in several compounds by an ionic-liquid-gating method, under optimized gating conditions.This leads to single superconducting phases for several compounds. Non-volatility of protons allows post-gating magnetization and transport measurements. The superconducting transition temperature T_c is enhanced to 43.5 K for FeSe_(0.93)S_(0.07), and 41 K for Fe Se after protonation. Superconducting transitions with T_c～15 K for ZrNCl,～7.2 K for 1-TaS_2, and ～3.8 K for Bi_2Se_3 are induced after protonation. Electric transport in protonated FeSe_(0.93)S_(0.07) confirms high-temperature superconductivity. Our~1 H nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)measurements on protonated Fe Se_(1-x)S_x reveal enhanced spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/~1T_1 with increasing x,which is consistent with the LDA calculations that H~+ is located in the interstitial sites close to the anions.     

Transient Photoconductivity in LaRhO_3 Thin Film

High-quality epitaxial LaRhO_3(LRO) thin films on SrTiO_3(110) single-crystalline substrates are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition and their photoconductivity properties are studied. The transient photoconductivity(TPC) effect is found in this semiconductor LRO film at room temperature. The magnitude of TPC increases almost linearly with the laser power intensities and the photon energies in visible light range. Moreover, the difference in the TPC results under two airflow conditions confirms that both intrinsic photoinduced carrier accumulation and extrinsic photoinduced heating effects contribute to the magnitude of TPC effect.