Linear magnetoresistance on the topological surface

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a positive, non-saturating linear magnetoresistance on the surface of a topological insulator with linear energy dispersion, observed over a wide magnetic field range and robust against temperature changes.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of linear magnetoresistance in topological insulator surface states with specific electronic properties, expanding understanding of magnetotransport phenomena.

Findings

Linear magnetoresistance occurs in topological insulator surface states.

The effect is robust across a wide magnetic field range and temperature.

The phenomenon aligns with recent experimental results in Bi₂Se₃ nanoribbons.

Abstract

A positive, non-saturating and dominantly linear magnetoresistance is demonstrated to occur in the surface state of a topological insulator having a wavevector-linear energy dispersion together with a finite positive Zeeman energy splitting. This linear magnetoresistance shows up within quite wide magnetic-field range in a spatially homogenous system of high carrier density and low mobility in which the conduction electrons are in extended states and spread over many smeared Landau levels, and is robust against increasing temperature, in agreement with recent experimental findings in Bi$_2$Se$_3$ nanoribbons.