Epitaxially-grown self-assembled Bi2Se3/Bi2MnSe4 multilayer heterostructures

Published

August 14, 2017

Author(s)

Joseph A. Hagmann, Xiang Li, Si-Ning Dong, Sergei Rouvimov, Sujitra J. Pookpanratana, Kin Man Yu, Tatyana Orlova, Curt A. Richter, David G. Seiler, Xinyu Liu, Jacek K. Furdyna, Margaret Dobrowolska

Abstract

Progress in understanding topologically non-trivial systems offers the promise of predicting novel systems that demonstrate the remarkable properties associated with topological systems, such as unidirectional spin-polarized surface current and the potential to host exotic topological states. We theoretically demonstrate a new topological insulator with in-plane magnetic ordering, Bi2MnSe4, the growth of which arises from the intergrowth of {111} planes of MnSe with Bi2Se3 layers, and present, for the first time, its structural, magnetic, and electronic properties. We propose a method of molecular beam epitaxial growth of this material and present details on the resulting growth of Bi2MnSe4 in a self-assembled layered heterostructure with Bi2Se3 in a near-periodic self-assembled heterostructure formed of layers of Bi2Se3 separated by single-layer Bi2MnSe4 crystals. Corresponding theoretical calculations of the electronic structure of these heterostructures show a disruption of the topological state arising from the strain field at the Bi2Se3-Bi2MnSe4 boundary and a corresponding opening of a gap in the Dirac cone. Our results demonstrate the growth mechanism and physical characteristics of Bi2MnSe4, a novel system with an intriguing combination of topological and magnetic properties.

Citation

New Journal of Physics

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

Topological insulators, 2D materials, magnetism, molecular beam epitaxy, MBE, Bi2Se3, Bi2MnSe4

Citation

Hagmann, J. , Li, X. , Dong, S. , Rouvimov, S. , Pookpanratana, S. , , K. , Orlova, T. , Richter, C. , Seiler, D. , Liu, X. , Furdyna, J. and Dobrowolska, M. (2017), Epitaxially-grown self-assembled Bi2Se3/Bi2MnSe4 multilayer heterostructures, New Journal of Physics (Accessed October 10, 2025)