Quantum electronic transport of topological surface states in beta-Ag2Se nanowire

TL;DR

This paper reports the synthesis and electronic transport analysis of eta-Ag2Se nanowires, a new class of 3D topological insulators, revealing their topological surface states and potential for spintronics.

Contribution

It provides the first synthesis and comprehensive transport characterization of eta-Ag2Se nanostructures as topological insulators with detailed band structure insights.

Findings

Verification of topological surface states via weak antilocalization, Aharonov-Bohm oscillations, and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations.

First-principles calculations showing band inversion caused by spin-orbit coupling and hybridization.

Identification of anisotropic Dirac cones in silver-chalcogenide TIs.

Abstract

Single-crystalline \beta-Ag2Se nanostructures, a new class of 3D topological insulators (TIs), were synthesized using the chemical vapor transport method. The topological surface states were verified by measuring electronic transport properties including the weak antilocalization effect, Aharonov-Bohm oscillations, and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. First-principles band calculations revealed that the band inversion in \b{eta}-Ag2Se is caused by strong spin-orbit coupling and Ag-Se bonding hybridization. These extensive investigations provide new meaningful information about silver-chalcogenide TIs that have anisotropic Dirac cones, which could be useful for spintronics applications.