Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy

Ultrathin films of Na3Bi on insulating substrates are desired for opening a bulk bandgap and generating the quantum spin Hall effect from a topological Dirac semimetal, though continuous films in the few nanometer regime have been difficult to realize. Here, we utilize alternating layer molecular be...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Igor V. Pinchuk, Thaddeus J. Asel, Andrew Franson, Tiancong Zhu, Yuan-Ming Lu, Leonard J. Brillson, Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin, Jay A. Gupta, Roland K. Kawakami
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2018-08-01
Series:APL Materials
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5041273
_version_ 1828822578076057600
author Igor V. Pinchuk
Thaddeus J. Asel
Andrew Franson
Tiancong Zhu
Yuan-Ming Lu
Leonard J. Brillson
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin
Jay A. Gupta
Roland K. Kawakami
author_facet Igor V. Pinchuk
Thaddeus J. Asel
Andrew Franson
Tiancong Zhu
Yuan-Ming Lu
Leonard J. Brillson
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin
Jay A. Gupta
Roland K. Kawakami
author_sort Igor V. Pinchuk
collection DOAJ
description Ultrathin films of Na3Bi on insulating substrates are desired for opening a bulk bandgap and generating the quantum spin Hall effect from a topological Dirac semimetal, though continuous films in the few nanometer regime have been difficult to realize. Here, we utilize alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy to achieve uniform and continuous single-crystal films of Na3Bi(0001) on insulating Al2O3(0001) substrates and demonstrate electrical transport on films with 3.8 nm thickness (4 unit cells). The high material quality is confirmed through reflection high-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T13:17:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-20b9f9b90d2947aabb80f471b376e511
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2166-532X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T13:17:46Z
publishDate 2018-08-01
publisher AIP Publishing LLC
record_format Article
series APL Materials
spelling doaj.art-20b9f9b90d2947aabb80f471b376e5112022-12-22T00:23:23ZengAIP Publishing LLCAPL Materials2166-532X2018-08-0168086103086103-810.1063/1.5041273003808APMTopological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxyIgor V. Pinchuk0Thaddeus J. Asel1Andrew Franson2Tiancong Zhu3Yuan-Ming Lu4Leonard J. Brillson5Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin6Jay A. Gupta7Roland K. Kawakami8Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USADepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USAUltrathin films of Na3Bi on insulating substrates are desired for opening a bulk bandgap and generating the quantum spin Hall effect from a topological Dirac semimetal, though continuous films in the few nanometer regime have been difficult to realize. Here, we utilize alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy to achieve uniform and continuous single-crystal films of Na3Bi(0001) on insulating Al2O3(0001) substrates and demonstrate electrical transport on films with 3.8 nm thickness (4 unit cells). The high material quality is confirmed through reflection high-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5041273
spellingShingle Igor V. Pinchuk
Thaddeus J. Asel
Andrew Franson
Tiancong Zhu
Yuan-Ming Lu
Leonard J. Brillson
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin
Jay A. Gupta
Roland K. Kawakami
Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
APL Materials
title Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
title_full Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
title_fullStr Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
title_full_unstemmed Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
title_short Topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
title_sort topological dirac semimetal na3bi films in the ultrathin limit via alternating layer molecular beam epitaxy
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5041273
work_keys_str_mv AT igorvpinchuk topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT thaddeusjasel topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT andrewfranson topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT tiancongzhu topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT yuanminglu topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT leonardjbrillson topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT ezekieljohnstonhalperin topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT jayagupta topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy
AT rolandkkawakami topologicaldiracsemimetalna3bifilmsintheultrathinlimitviaalternatinglayermolecularbeamepitaxy