Electronic Fingerprints of Cr and V Dopants in Topological Insulator Sb2Te3

TL;DR

This study combines microscopy and calculations to identify electronic signatures of Cr and V dopants in Sb2Te3, aiding understanding of their role in enhancing the quantum anomalous Hall effect in topological insulators.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic analysis of local electronic states of Cr and V dopants in Sb2Te3 using combined experimental and theoretical methods.

Findings

Distinct spectroscopic features for Cr and V dopants

Electronic fingerprints for co-doped magnetic TIs

Insights into mechanisms boosting quantum anomalous Hall temperature

Abstract

By combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we systematically study the local electronic states of magnetic dopants V and Cr in the topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3. Spectroscopic imaging shows diverse local defect states between Cr and V, which agree with our first-principle calculations. The unique spectroscopic features of V and Cr dopants provide electronic fingerprints for the co-doped magnetic TI samples with the enhanced quantum anomalous Hall effect. Our results also facilitate the exploration of the underlying mechanism of the enhanced quantum anomalous Hall temperature in Cr/V co-doped TIs.