title: Topological properties determined by atomic buckling in self-assembled ultrathin Bi(110).
abstract: Topological insulators (TIs) are a new type of electronic materials in which the nontrivial insulating bulk band topology governs conducting boundary states with embedded spin-momentum locking. Such edge states are more robust in a two-dimensional (2D) TI against scattering by nonmagnetic impurities than in its three-dimensional (3D) variant, because in 2D the two helical edge states are protected from the only possible backscattering. This makes the 2D TI family a better candidate for coherent spin transport and related applications. While several 3D TIs are already synthesized experimentally, physical realization of 2D TI is so far limited to hybrid quantum wells with a tiny bandgap that does not survive temperatures above 10 K. Here, combining first-principles calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) experimental studies, we report nontrivial 2D TI phases in 2-monolayer (2-ML) and 4-ML Bi(110) films with large and tunable bandgaps determined by atomic buckling of Bi(110) films. The gapless edge states are experimentally detected within the insulating bulk gap at 77 K. The band topology of ultrathin Bi(110) films is sensitive to atomic buckling. Such buckling is sensitive to charge doping and could be controlled by choosing different substrates on which Bi(110) films are grown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Yunhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wentao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Mingang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Guanggeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ziyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tanmoy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Pimo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Yuan Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hsin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xue-sen
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Bi(110); atomic buckling; edge states; electron doping; topological insulator