Selective Contact and Patterning of Topological Surface States by Interfacing with Trivial and Ferromagnetic Insulators

ORAL

Abstract

Topological insulators (TIs) are a novel class of material which host helical surface states with exciting and unique electronic properties. They can provide insights into new physics and also pave the way for potential spintronic applications. Much work has been done to identify and characterise these surface states, but in order to utilise them towards multifunctional devices, we need a way to control the exchange gap opening in a tailored way and pattern them accordingly. We present results from devices which allow selective contact and patterning of topological surface states. We interface a TI with a ferromagnetic insulator to open up a gap in the Dirac cone, in an effort to have independent contact to the top and bottom surface states of a single TI film, enabling the characterisation and utilisation of the two surface states separately We also study heterostructures with two TI layers separated by a trivially insulating tunnel barrier, allowing for a way of probing the dispersion relation of TIs using spin and momentum resolved tunnelling.

–

Presenters

  • Ankita Anirban

    Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge

Authors

  • Ankita Anirban

    Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge

  • Abdur Rehman Jalil

    Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9), Forschungszentrum Jülich

  • Yunbo Ou

    Dept. Of Physics, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139

  • Mirko Rocci

    Dept. Of Physics, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory and Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

  • Gregor Mussler

    Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-9), Forschungszentrum Jülich

  • Jagadeesh Moodera

    Dept. Of Physics, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, and Francis Bitter Magnet Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, MIT, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, and Department of Physics, MIT, Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory and Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Plasma Science and Fusion Center and Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics, Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139

  • Crispin Barnes

    University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge

  • Christopher J Ford

    Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge