Proximity induced ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and finite-size effects on the surface and edge states of topological insulator nanostructures

TL;DR

This paper explores methods to induce a band gap in topological insulator surface states using ferromagnetic coatings and superconducting proximity effects, and examines finite-size effects on surface and edge states in nanostructures.

Contribution

It introduces techniques to open a band gap in TI surface states via ferromagnetic and superconducting proximity effects, and compares finite-size effects on surface and edge states in nanostructures.

Findings

Ferromagnetic coating can control surface state properties.

Superconducting proximity effect opens a band gap in TI surface states.

Finite size effects significantly influence surface and edge state behaviors.

Abstract

Bi$_{2}$Te$_{3}$ and Bi$_{2}$Se$_{3}$ are well known 3D-topological insulators. Films made of these materials exhibit metal-like surface states with a Dirac dispersion and possess high mobility. The high mobility metal-like surface states can serve as channel material for TI-based field effect transistors. While such a transistor offers superior terminal characteristics, they suffer from an inherent zero band gap problem. The absence of a band gap for the surface states prevents an easy turn-off mechanism. In this work, techniques that can be employed to easily open a band gap for the TI surface states is introduced. Two approaches are described: 1) Coating the surface states with a ferromagnet which has a controllable magnetization axis. The magnetization strength of the ferromagnet is incorporated as an exchange interaction term in the Hamiltonian. 2) An \textit{s}-wave superconductor, because of the proximity effect, when coupled to a 3D-TI opens a band gap on the surface. This TI-superconductor heterostructure is modeled using the Bogoliubov-de Gennes Hamiltonian. A comparison demonstrating the finite size effects on surface states of a 3D-TI and edge states of a CdTe/HgTe/CdTe-based 2D-TI is also presented. 3D-TI nanostructures can be reduced to dimensions as low as 10.0 $ \mathrm{nm} $ in contrast to 2D-TI structures which require a thickness of at least 100.0 $ \mathrm{nm} $. All calculations are performed using the continuum four-band k.p Hamiltonian.