Gate-controlled surface conduction in Na-doped Bi2Te3 topological insulator nanoplates.
Exploring exciting and exotic physics, scientists are pursuing practical device applications for topological insulators. The Dirac-like surface states in topological insulators are protected by the time-reversal symmetry, which naturally forbids backscattering events during the carrier transport process, and therefore offers promising applications in dissipationless spintronic devices. Although considerable efforts have been devoted to controlling their surface conduction, limited work has been focused on tuning surface states and bulk carriers in Bi(2)Te(3) nanostructures by external field. Here we report gate-tunable surface conduction in Na-doped Bi(2)Te(3) topological insulator nanoplates. Significantly, by applying external gate voltages, such topological insulators can be tuned from p-type to n-type. Our results render a promise in finding novel topological insulators with enhanced surface states.
State Key Laboratory for Silicon Materials and Center for Electron Microscopy, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China. yongwang@zju.edu.cn
Yong
Y
Wang
Faxian
F
Xiu
Lina
L
Cheng
Liang
L
He
Murong
M
Lang
Jianshi
J
Tang
Xufeng
X
Kou
Xinxin
X
Yu
Xiaowei
X
Jiang
Zhigang
Z
Chen
Jin
J
Zou
Kang L
KL
Wang
D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D012666:Semiconductors; D012964:Sodium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C542787:bismuth telluride; D012964:Sodium; D013691:Tellurium; D001729:Bismuth