Laser-induced persistent photovoltage on the surface of a ternary topological insulator at room temperature

Using time- and angle-resolved photoemission, we investigate the ultrafast response of excited electrons in the ternary topological insulator (Bi$_{1 x}$Sb$_{x}$)$_2$Te$_3$ to fs-infrared pulses. We demonstrate that at the critical concentration $x$=0.55, where the system becomes bulk insulating, a surface voltage can be driven at room temperature through the topological surface state solely by optical means. We further show that such a photovoltage persists over a time scale that exceeds $\sim$6 $\mu$s, i.e, much longer than the characteristic relaxation times of bulk states. We attribute the origin of the photovoltage to a laser-induced band-bending effect which emerges near the surface region on ultrafast time scales. The photovoltage is also accompanied by a remarkable increase in the relaxation times of excited states as compared to undoped topological insulators. Our findings are relevant in the context of applications of topological surface states in future optical devices.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Ultrafast spin polarization control of Dirac fermions in topological insulators

Three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) are characterized by spin-polarized Dirac-cone surface states that are protected from backscattering by time-reversal symmetry. Control of the spin polarization of topological surface states (TSSs) using femtosecond light pulses opens novel perspectives for the generation and manipulation of dissipationless surface spin currents on ultrafast timescales. Using time-, spin-, and angle-resolved spectroscopy, we directly monitor for the first time the ultrafast response of the spin polarization of photoexcited TSSs to circularly-polarized femtosecond pulses of infrared light. We achieve all-optical switching of the transient out-of-plane spin polarization, which relaxes in about 1.2 ps. Our observations establish the feasibility of ultrafast optical control of spin-polarized Dirac fermions in TIs and pave the way for novel optospintronic applications at ultimate speeds.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Double Fe-impurity charge state in the topological insulator Bi2_2Se3_3

The influence of individual impurities of Fe on the electronic properties of topological insulator Bi$_2$Se$_3$ is studied by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. The microscope tip is used in order to remotely charge/discharge Fe impurities. The charging process is shown to depend on the impurity location in the crystallographic unit cell, on the presence of other Fe impurities in the close vicinity, as well as on the overall doping level of the crystal. We present a qualitative explanation of the observed phenomena in terms of tip-induced local band bending. Our observations evidence that the specific impurity neighborhood and the position of the Fermi energy with respect to the Dirac point and bulk bands have both to be taken into account when considering the electron scattering on the disorder in topological insulators.Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letters, minor bugs were correcte

Co-Circulation of Coronaviruses among Rodents and Insectivores

Coronaviruses (family Coronaviridae, genera Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus) are the causative agents of respiratory, intestinal and neurological diseases in humans and animals. Natural reservoirs of coronaviruses include bats, rodents and insectivores, however, the circulation of coronaviruses among rodents and insectivores in the Russian Federation has been unexplored. The aim of the study was to investigate the diversity of coronaviruses among rodents and insectivores co-inhabiting natural biotopes. Materials and methods. Rodents (68 specimens) and shrews of the genus Sorex (23 specimens) were caught in a limited forest area not exceeding 1.5 sq. km, in the vicinity of Novosibirsk. All samples were screened using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. Results and discussion. Four distinct coronaviruses have been detected in four species of small mammals. Rodent-borne coronaviruses were classed within subgenera Embecovirus, genus Betacoronavirus, and demonstrated host-associated phylogenetic clustering. The level of homology between the new RNA isolates from red-backed vole (Myodes rutilus), root vole (Microtus oeconomus) and field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) is 85.5–87.7 %. The nucleotide sequences of Siberian coronavirus isolates are closely related (>93 % homology) to previously published sequences in each of the carrier groups found in Europe and China, which suggests their common evolutionary origin. The coronavirus identified in the common shrew (Sorex araneus) belongs to the genus Alphacoronavirus, but is significantly different (>36 % difference) from earlier identified strains included in the genus. It has been shown that different coronaviruses co-circulate in a limited area among rodents and insectivores

Eye Hydrodynamics after Combined Treatment of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Complicated Cataract

Aim: To study hydrodynamics of the eye after combined treatment – a combination of laser activation of trabecula and cataract phacoemulsification – in a comparative aspect.Material and methods. The study included 65 patients (65 eyes) with initial and advanced stages (I–II stages) of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and complicated cataract. Among the patients there were 38 women (58.5 %) and 27 men (41.5 %), the average age was 68.8 ± 8.2 years. The follow-up period is 12 months after the treatment. The patients were divided into two groups: the main one – 33 patients (33 eyes) who underwent combined treatment – YAG-laser activation of trabecula (YAG-LAT) and phacoemulsification of cataract with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, the control group – 32 patients (32 eyes) who underwent only phacoemulsification.Initially, the average intraocular pressure (IOP) (P0) in the main and control groups was 20.72 ± 3.39 mm Hg and 21.02 ± 3.55 mm Hg respectively. The average number of antihypertensive drugs used in the study group was 1.53 ± 0.64, in the control group – 1.34 ± 0.55.Results. There were no intraand postoperative complications. By the end of the follow-up period, a significant decrease in the average IOP level compared to its preoperative value by 29.2 % was determined in the main group, and 9.8 % in the control. The average number of antihypertensive drugs used in the study group decreased from 1.53 ± 0.64 to 0.67 ± 0.59 (p < 0.05), in the control group of patients, on the contrary, the average number of antihypertensive agents increased from 1.34 ± 0.55 to 1.91 ± 0.70 (p < 0.05).Conclusion. In the long-term postoperative period after combined treatment (YAG-LAT + phaco), IOP normalization was achieved in 96.9 % of cases, as well as a significant increase in visual acuity of patients. The developed method of treatment is safe, has a minimal risk of complications and can be used for the treatment of patients with initial stages of POAG in combination with complicated cataracts with increased IOP level, inefficiency of antihypertensive therapy

Anisotropic effect of warping on the lifetime broadening of topological surface states in angle-resolved photoemission from Bi2 Te3

We analyze the strong hexagonal warping of the Dirac cone of Bi2Te3 by angle- resolved photoemission. Along Γ¯¯¯M¯¯¯, the dispersion deviates from a linear behavior meaning that the Dirac cone is warped outwards and not inwards. We show that this introduces an anisotropy in the lifetime broadening of the topological surface state which is larger along Γ¯¯¯K¯¯¯. The result is not consistent with an explanation by nesting properties. Based on the theoretically predicted modifications of the ground-state spin texture of a strongly warped Dirac cone, we propose spin-dependent scattering processes as explanation for the anisotropic scattering rates. These results could help paving the way for optimizing future spintronic devices using topological insulators and controlling surface-scattering processes via external gate voltages

Photoemission of Bi2_2Se3_3 with Circularly Polarized Light: Probe of Spin Polarization or Means for Spin Manipulation?

Topological insulators are characterized by Dirac cone surface states with electron spins aligned in the surface plane and perpendicular to their momenta. Recent theoretical and experimental work implied that this specific spin texture should enable control of photoelectron spins by circularly polarized light. However, these reports questioned the so far accepted interpretation of spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. We solve this puzzle and show that vacuum ultraviolet photons (50-70 eV) with linear or circular polarization probe indeed the initial state spin texture of Bi$_2$Se$_3$ while circularly polarized 6 eV low energy photons flip the electron spins out of plane and reverse their spin polarization. Our photoemission calculations, considering the interplay between the varying probing depth, dipole selection rules and spin-dependent scattering effects involving initial and final states explain these findings, and reveal proper conditions for light-induced spin manipulation. This paves the way for future applications of topological insulators in opto-spintronic devices.Comment: Submitted for publication (2013