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Interface-Dominated Topological Transport in Nanograined Bulk Bi2 Te3
Sepideh Izadi1,2, Jeong Woo Han3, Sarah Salloum4
1Bielefeld University, Faculty of Physics, Experimental Physics, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|September 21, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed nanograined bulk bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) to enhance surface carrier transport in 3D topological insulators (TI). This approach overcomes bulk carrier dominance, enabling high-surface mobility for potential technical applications.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- 3D topological insulators (TI) possess high-mobility surface carriers.
- Bulk carriers often dominate transport in 3D TIs, masking surface properties.
- Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) is a well-studied material for thermoelectric and TI applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overcome bulk carrier domination in 3D TIs.
- To enhance and utilize the high-mobility surface carriers.
- To investigate transport properties of compacted 3D TI nanoparticles.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Bi2Te3 nanoparticles with low impurities.
- Hot pressing of nanoparticles into nanograined bulk samples.
- Electrical transport measurements and THz time-domain spectroscopy.
- Application of the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model.
Main Results:
- Compacted nanograined bulk samples exhibited metallic-like electrical transport.
- Distinct weak antilocalization was observed.
- Surface transport dominance was revealed by THz spectroscopy.
- High surface carrier mobility (>10^3 cm^2 V^-1 s^-1) was measured even at room temperature.
Conclusions:
- Nanograined bulk Bi2Te3 effectively suppresses bulk carrier influence.
- The study demonstrates the potential of nanostructured 3D TIs for surface-dominated transport.
- These findings highlight the importance of nanograined Bi2Te3 for technical applications leveraging surface states.
