Imaging Quantum Well States of Dirac Electrons in Exfoliated 3D Topological Insulators

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a method to produce ultrathin topological insulator flakes that reveal quantum well states of Dirac electrons, enabling detailed study of their quantum confinement and electronic properties.

Contribution

It introduces a controlled exfoliation technique for high-quality 2D topological insulator layers and provides experimental evidence of quantum well states of Dirac electrons with theoretical validation.

Findings

Quantum well states of Dirac electrons are observed in exfoliated flakes.

The phase accumulation model accurately describes the quantum states.

QWS remain robust against defect scattering.

Abstract

We present a controlled mechanical exfoliation technique for bulk 3D topological insulators that yields atomically clean ultrathin flakes, enabling quantum well states (QWS) of Dirac electrons to be clearly resolved. Achieving reliable fabrication of pristine, high-quality two-dimensional layers suitable for atomic-scale spectroscopy remains a central experimental challenge in uncovering their emergent quantum states and realizing device-relevant functionalities. Atomically resolved scanning probe microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy reveal a strong correlation between Raman intensity and film thickness, enabling rapid identification of (Bi\textsubscript{0.1}Sb\textsubscript{0.9})\textsubscript{2}Te\textsubscript{3} flakes with desired thickness. High resolution scanning tunneling spectroscopy on exfoliated flakes with atomically flat terraces reveals QWS, driven by quantum confinement of Dirac electrons. This effect is rarely observed due to the electrons resistance to electrostatic confinement caused by Klein tunneling. The standard phase accumulation model accurately captures the characteristics of QWS and extracts the electronic band dispersion, showing excellent agreement with density functional theory calculations. Band structure calculation reveals that with increasing quantum-layer thickness, the interlayer coupling enhances the electronic dispersion, progressively reducing subband splitting and giving rise to bulk-like continuous bands. Spatially resolved spectroscopy around surface defects further confirms that QWS of Dirac electrons in topological insulators remains robust against defect scattering. This work paves the way for exploring diverse quantum phenomena and device applications through quantum confinement, surface-state engineering, and tunable topological phases.