Local photocurrent generation in thin films of the topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}

Journal Article · Mon Dec 17 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4772547· OSTI ID:22089622

Kastl, C.; Holleitner, A. W. ^[1]; Guan, T.; He, X. Y.; Wu, K. H.; Li, Y. Q. ^[2]

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1. Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Am Coulombwall 4a, 85748 Garching (Germany)
2. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

We report on the optoelectronic properties of thin films of Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The films are patterned into circuits with typical extensions of tens of microns. In spatially resolved experiments, we observe submicron photocurrent patterns with positive and negative amplitudes. The patterns are independent of the applied bias voltage, but they depend on the width of the circuits. We interpret the patterns to originate from a local photocurrent generation due to potential fluctuations.

• OSTI ID: 22089622
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 101, Issue 25; 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
AMPLITUDES
BISMUTH SELENIDES
FLUCTUATIONS
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
THIN FILMS