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Title: Prediction of two-dimensional topological insulator by forming a surface alloy on Au/Si(111) substrate

Journal Article · · Physical Review B
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. National Sun Yat-Sen Univ., Kaohsiung (Taiwan)
  2. National Dong Hwa Univ., Hualien (Taiwan)
  3. National Univ. of Singapore (Singapore)
  4. Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States)

Two-dimensional (2D) topological insulators (TIs), which can be integrated into the modern silicon industry, are highly desirable for spintronics applications. Here, using first-principles electronic structure calculations, we show that the Au/Si(111)- 3 substrate can provide a platform for hosting 2D TIs obtained through the formation of surface alloys with a honeycomb pattern of adsorbed atoms. We systematically examined elements from groups III to VI of the periodic table at 2/3 monolayer coverage on Au/Si(111)- 3 , and found that In, Tl, Ge, and Sn adsorbates result in topologically nontrivial phases with band gaps varying from 0 to 50 meV. Our scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction experiments confirm the presence of the honeycomb pattern when Bi atoms are deposited on Au/Si(111)- 3 , in accord with our theoretical predictions. Our findings pave the way for using surface alloys as a potential route for obtaining viable 2D TI platforms.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for the Computational Design of Functional Layered Materials (CCDM)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (MOST); Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012575; MOST-104-2112-M110- 002-MY3; MOST-101-2218-E-110-003-MY3; MOST-102-2112-M-110-006-MY2; MOST-104-2112-M-110-011; FG02-07ER46352; AC02-05CH11231; NRF-NRFF2013-03
OSTI ID:
1387716
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1235631
Journal Information:
Physical Review B, Vol. 93, Issue 3; Related Information: CCDM partners with Temple University (lead); Brookhaven National Laboratory; Drexel University; Duke University; North Carolina State University; Northeastern University; Princeton University; Rice University; University of Pennsylvania; ISSN 2469-9950
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 28 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (7)

Computational design of two-dimensional topological materials: Two-dimensional topological materials journal March 2017
Predicting two-dimensional topological phases in Janus materials by substitutional doping in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers journal September 2019
Scanning tunneling microscopy investigations of unoccupied surface states in two-dimensional semiconducting β-√3 × √3-Bi/Si(111) surface journal January 2018
Prediction of two-dimensional organic topological insulator in metal-DCB lattices journal December 2018
Surface alloy engineering in 2D trigonal lattice: giant Rashba spin splitting and two large topological gaps journal February 2018
Vibrational properties of the Au-( 3 × 3 )/Si(111) surface reconstruction journal January 2018
Hourglass Fermion in Two-Dimensional Material journal September 2019