Interface-Dominated Topological Transport in Nanograined Bulk Bi2Te3

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sepideh Izadi - , Faculty of Physics, Chair of Metallic Materials and Metal Physics, Bielefeld University, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Jeong Woo Han - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Sarah Salloum - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Ulrike Wolff - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Lauritz Schnatmann - , Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Aswin Asaithambi - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Sebastian Matschy - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Heike Schlörb - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Heiko Reith - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Nicolas Perez - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Kornelius Nielsch - , Chair of Metallic Materials and Metal Physics, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Stephan Schulz - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Martin Mittendorff - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Gabi Schierning - , Bielefeld University (Author)

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. Bi2Te3 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 103 cm2 V−1 s−1 even at room temperature. These findings clearly demonstrate that nanograined bulk Bi2Te3 features surface carrier properties that are of importance for technical applications.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2103281
JournalSmall
Volume17
Issue number42
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 34545684

Keywords

Keywords

  • bismuth telluride, nanograined bulk, THz spectroscopy, topological insulators, weak antilocalization