Strain Effects in Topological Insulators: Topological Order and the Emergence of Switchable Topological Interface States in Sb$_2$Te$_3$/Bi$_2$Te$_3$ Heterojunctions

TL;DR

This paper explores how strain influences topological phases in bismuth dichalcogenides, demonstrating the potential to switch topological interface states on and off in Sb$_2$Te$_3$/Bi$_2$Te$_3$ heterojunctions for spintronic uses.

Contribution

It presents a phase diagram for topological insulators under strain and proposes a strain-tunable heterojunction with switchable topological interface states.

Findings

Uniaxial tension can induce a topologically trivial phase in Sb$_2$Te$_3$.

A heterojunction can host a switchable topological interface state.

The interface state is protected and suitable for spintronics.

Abstract

Strain can induce a topological phase transition in bismuth dichalcogenides. We present the phase diagram for 3D topological insulators Bi$_2$Te$_3$, Sb$_2$Te$_3$, Bi$_2$Se$_3$ and Sb$_2$Se$_3$ with uniaxial and biaxal strain, which show metallic and insulating phases, both topologically trivial and non-trivial. In particular, uniaxial tension can drive Sb$_2$Te$_3$ into a topologically trivial insulating phase. Thus, we propose a Sb$_2$Te$_3$/Bi$_2$Te$_3$ heterojunction in which a topological interface state arises in the common gap of this topological insulator-normal insulator heterojunction that can be switched on or off by means of uniaxial strain. This interface state is confined in the Sb$_2$Te$_3$ subsystem and is physically protected from ambient impurities. Therefore, Sb$_2$Te$_3$/Bi$_2$Te$_3$ heterojunctions can host robust helical interface states with promising spintronic applications.