Work

Spin Polarization and Transport of Surface States in the Topological Insulators Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 from First Principles

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: We investigate the band dispersion and the spin texture of topologically protected surface states in the bulk topological insulators Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 by first-principles methods. Strong spin-orbit entanglement in these materials reduces the spin polarization of the surface states to ∼50% in both cases; this reduction is absent in simple models but of important implications to essentially any spintronic application. We propose a way of controlling the magnitude of spin polarization associated with a charge current in thin films of topological insulators by means of an external electric field. The proposed dual-gate device configuration provides new possibilities for electrical control of spin.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.105.266806

Authors: Oleg V. Yazyev, Joel E. Moore, Steven G. Louie

Institutions: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley

Language: English

Topic: Topological Materials and Phenomena

Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green