12 research outputs found
Ripple modulated electronic structure of a 3D topological insulator
3D topological insulators, similar to the Dirac material graphene, host
linearly dispersing states with unique properties and a strong potential for
applications. A key, missing element in realizing some of the more exotic
states in topological insulators is the ability to manipulate local electronic
properties. Analogy with graphene suggests a possible avenue via a topographic
route by the formation of superlattice structures such as a moir\'e patterns or
ripples, which can induce controlled potential variations. However, while the
charge and lattice degrees of freedom are intimately coupled in graphene, it is
not clear a priori how a physical buckling or ripples might influence the
electronic structure of topological insulators. Here we use Fourier transform
scanning tunneling spectroscopy to determine the effects of a one-dimensional
periodic buckling on the electronic properties of Bi2Te3. By tracking the
spatial variations of the scattering vector of the interference patterns as
well as features associated with bulk density of states, we show that the
buckling creates a periodic potential modulation, which in turn modulates the
surface and the bulk states. The strong correlation between the topographic
ripples and electronic structure indicates that while doping alone is
insufficient to create predetermined potential landscapes, creating ripples
provides a path to controlling the potential seen by the Dirac electrons on a
local scale. Such rippled features may be engineered by strain in thin films
and may find use in future applications of topological insulators.Comment: Nature Communications (accepted