Molecular beam epitaxy of bilayer Bi(111) films on topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}: A scanning tunneling microscopy study

Journal Article · Mon Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4747715· OSTI ID:22089391

Mu, Chen; Qikun, Xue ^[1]; Junping, Peng; Huimin, Zhang; Lili, Wang; Ke, He; Xucun, Ma ^[1]

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1. State Key Laboratory for Surface Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

We report on molecular beam epitaxy growth of bilayer Bi(111) films on topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}. In situ scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy shows that Bi growth mode changes from quasi bilayer-by-bilayer to step-flow with increasing substrate temperature. Bilayer Bi(111) exhibits an electron donor behavior, causing an 80 meV downshift of the Dirac point of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}. Local work function difference between the bilayer films and Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} films is measured to be 390 meV. Based on the observations, we propose a schematic energy-band diagram which reveals band bending effect at the Bi/Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} interface. Our work paves a way to explore the exotic topological properties of bilayer islands and thin films of Bi.

• OSTI ID: 22089391
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 101, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BEAMS
BENDING
BINDING ENERGY
BISMUTH
BISMUTH TELLURIDES
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPECTROSCOPY
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
WORK FUNCTIONS