Nanostructures of Topological

Insulator nanofilm
Ali Yazdani and Pedram Roushan/Princeton University

By
Thakshila Herath and Dr. Vadym Apalkov

Outline

Goals
Introduction
3D Topological Insulator (TI)
3D TI nanofilm
Applications

Our work
Step-like defect
Quantum dot

Future work

Goal
Study

and discover the new properties

of 3D TI nanofilm

What is a TI?

A new quantum state of matter which can

insulate on the inside but conduct on the
outside

3D TI
3D TI surface
Murakami et al., JoP (2011)
4

Features of TI :
(1) Has only one Dirac cone
(2) No backscattering : Surface is topologically protected
by
time reversal symmetry
spin

Applications
Electrical manipulation of spins and
spin currents with little or no
dissipation
Applications in spintronic and
quantum-information technologies
To make ultrafast transistors (dirac
cone on the surface)

Realistic 3D TI materials :

First predicted TI : Bi(1-x)Sbx

Second generation TIs :
Bi2Se3
Bi2Te3
Sb2Te3

Theoretical predictions of surface

states :

Bi2Se3: Eg 0.3 eV

Sb2Te3: Eg 0.1 eV

Zhang et al., NatPhys(2009)8

Experimental Evidences :
(ARPES results)

Xia, et al., Nat. Phys. 5, 398

(2009)

Band structure of Bi2Se3

10

Side view of the Quintuple layer

The electron configuration :

Bi : 6s26p3
Se : 4s24p4
Consider only outmost p orbitals

Crystal Structure of Bi2Se3

10

Band structure of Bi2Se3

Fermi Energy

(I) Hybridization of Bi orbitals and Se orbitals

(II) Formation of bonding and antibonding states due to the inversion
symmetry
(III) Crystal field splitting
(IV) Influence of the SOC

Zhang et al., NatPhys(2009)

11

Low energy effective model :

Tight binding model
k-p model
Bulk Hamiltonian :

Spinorbit
couplin
g

12

Surface Hamiltonian :
,

0
=
2 +

2
0

A2 : describes the spin orbit coupling

= 0

Dirac cone

Surface states
13

Dispersion law of surface states :

Surface state has Dirac dispersion

s

ky

kx

14

3D TI nanofilm
Surface states are coupled and the
gap is opened
Can be described by a 2D massive
Dirac model

coupling

1
2

15

Our Work :
(A) Step- Like defect
Phys. Rev. B 87, 075318 (2013)

(B) Quantum dot

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26
(2014)115302

16

(A) Electron Scattering by Step

Like
Defect in Topological Insulator
Nanofilm

17

Introduction

TI Nanofilm:

1 < 2

1 > 2
1 , 2 ~ 10 100
18

Model and Main Equations

19

Effective model of TI nanofilm

=

2
1 2

2
2 2

2
(1 2

2
2 2 )

[New J. Phys. 12 , 043048(2010) ]

Where ( = , , ) are Pauli Spin Matrices

is the thickness of the nanofilm
2 , 1 , 2 , 1 , 2 are model parameters
[We consider Bi2 Se3 TI]

The corresponding energy spectrum:

2
2

, = (1 2 + 2 2 ) (1 2 + 2 2 )2 + 22 2

Here =

2 + 2

For = 40, gap: -0.21eV<<0.28eV

20

For reflection(elastic scattering) problem :

Energy of the reflected(transmitted) electron = Energy of the incident electron
Specific feature of TI system :
Existence of four different wave vectors, ,which have the same energy.

1,
2,

1,

+ 2 + 4
, =
2

2,

2 + 4
, =
2

where = 22 22 ,

1,+

2 2
= 1 2 1 2 2 + 22 + 22 ,

4
22
2
2
= 1 2 + 1 1 4

2,+

2,

1, , Two propagating waves

, Localized (evanescent) modes
21

0 =

, ,1 + 1 , ,1 + 2 , ,1 , < 0
1 , ,2 + 2 , ,2

, > 0

where 1 , 2 are amplitudes of the reflected waves and 1 , 2 are

amplitudes of the transmitted waves

Reflection and transmission coefficients are,

= and = 1

22

Results
I Reflectance
II Evanescent modes
Herath, et al. ,Phys. Rev. B 87, 075318 (2013)

23

At critical 2

I Reflectance
At 2 > 1 :
R is monotonically increase
At 2 < 1 :
R shows very strong
dependence on 2

At 2 2
1 = 2

R = 1 : Total internal reflection ,

2 1 + 1

(We consider Bi2 Se3 TI.) 24

At critical 2

I Reflectance

At 2 > 1 :
R is monotonically increase
At 2 < 1 :
R shows very strong
dependence on 2

At 2 2
1 = 2

R = 1 : Total internal reflection ,

2 1 + 1

(We consider Bi2 Se3 TI.)

25

II Evanescent Modes
Strong enhancement of electron density

2 = 2

26

II Evanescent Modes

1 = 2

27

II Evanescent Modes
Strong enhancement of electron density

2 = 2

28

(B) Quantum dot in

Topological Insulator
Nanofilm

29

Introduction

= 1 2

30

Effective model of TI nanofilm

=

2
1 2

2
2 2

2
(1 2

2
2 2 )

[New Journal of Physics 12 (2010) 043048]

Where ( = , , ) are Pauli Spin Matrices

is the thickness of the nanofilm
2 , 1 , 2 , 1 , 2 are model parameters
[We consider Bi2 Se3 TI]

~1

~2 2

The corresponding energy spectrum:

2
2

, = (1 2 + 2 2 ) (1 2 + 2 2 )2 + 22 2

Here =

2 + 2

For = 40, -0.21eV<<0.28eV

31

Specific feature of TI system :

Existence of four different wave vectors, ,which have the same energy.

1,

+ 2 + 4
, =
2

2,

2 + 4
, =
2

where = 22 22 ,

1,+
2,

2,+

1,

2,

2 2
= 1 2 1 2 2 + 22 + 22 ,

2
4
2
2
2
= 1 2 + 1 1 4

1, , Two propagating waves

, Localized (evanescent) modes
32

1 1 + 2 1 spin up
()=
1 2 +1 + 2 2 +1 (+1)
spin down

for < R and

3 1 1 + 4 1 2
()=
3 2 +1 1 + 4 2 +1 2 (+1)
for > R

The energy spectrum is determined by the boundary

conditions,
Continuity of the wave function and its derivative
33

The intensity of optical transitions between the

initial state and final state is

| < | | > |2
where

21
=
2

2
22

Selection rule for optical transitions :

= = 1

/ - The angular momentum of an electron in

the
initial/final state
34

Results
I Energy spectrum
II Optical transitions
III Electron density
Herath, et al,. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26
(2014)115302.

35

I Energy Spectrum

()

= 20

= 55

No symmetry in conduction and valance bands

()
If > the energy levels with angular momentum
exist.

36

II Optical Transitions

37

II Optical Transitions
m=0 -> 1
m=0 -> m=1
m=1 -> m=2

m=1 -> 2

m=0 -> 1

m=0 -> 1
m=1 -> 2

m=2 -> 3

m=1 -> 2

m=0 -> m=1

m=0 -> 1
m=1 -> 2
m=2 -> 3

Absorption interband optical spectra

m=1 -> 2

38

Absorption intraband optical spectra

III Electron density

+

39

Summary
Discuss

the properties of step like

defect and QD

40

References :

H. Zhang, C.-X. Liu, X.-L. Qi, X. Dai, Z. Fang, and S.-C.

Zhang,Nat. Phys. 5, 438 (2009).
J. Moore, Nat. Phys. 5, 378 (2009).
J. E. Moore, Nature (London) 464, 194 (2010).
X.-L. Qi and S.-C. Zhang, Phys. Today 63, 33 (2010).
L. Fu, C. L. Kane, and E. J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 106803
(2007)
B. A. Bernevig, T. L. Hughes, and S.-C. Zhang, Science 314,
1757 (2006).
Chakraborty T 1999 Quantum Dots (Amsterdam: Elsevier)
Chakraborty T 1992 Comments Condens. Matter Phys. 16 35
Bunch J S, Yaish Y, Brink M, Bolotin K and McEuen P L 2005
Nano Lett. 5 287
Chen HY, Apalkov V and Chakraborty T 2007 Phys. Rev. Lett.
98 186803
Hewageegana P and Apalkov V 2008 Phys. Rev. B 77 245426
41

Future Work
Applying

a magnetic field parallel to

the TI nanofilm
Study on neural networks

42

Committee Members :
Dr. V. Apalkov
Dr. U. Perera
Dr. X. He
Dr. A. Kozhanov
Dr. D. Gies

43

Acknowledgement :

44

Thank You !

45

3D Topological Insulator(3DTI)
Predicted in 2007 and experimentally observed in
2008 in Bi(1-x)Sb(x)
The surface of a 3D topological insulator supports
electronic motion in any direction along the surface,
but the direction of the electrons motion uniquely
determines its spin direction and vice versa.

SPINNING IN LINE Electrons at the surface of a topological

insulator travel in well-defined traffic lanes depending on a property
called spin. Spin-down electrons (purple) and spin-up electrons
(blue) move in opposite directions in their designated lanes,
permitting charge to flow just at the surface of the material.

47

Band Sequence of Bi2Se3

(odd)

(even)
Fermi Energy

(odd)

(even)
(odd)

(I) Turning on Chemical bonding

(II) Crystal field splitting

(III) SOC
Zhang et al., NatPhys(2009)

48

Spintronics in Future Information Technology

Spintronics: Manipulation of electron spin for information
storage, transmission & processing

Traditional spintronics: e.g. magnetic disk, size limit

Current spintronics: e.g. GMR, TMR, still with a charge
current

Ideal Spintronics: Pure spin current & spin accumulation

controlled by electric field/voltage, dissipationless

Quantum spin Hall effect (QSHE): an attractive option

(S-Q Shen, AAPPS Bulletin 18(5), 29)