Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces
We show that the surface states of pristine 3D topological insulators (TIs) are analogs of ferromagnetic half metals due to complete polarization of an emergent momentum independent pseudospin (SU(2)) degree of freedom on the surface. To put this claim on firm footing, we present results for TI surf...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2016-01-01
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| Series: | New Journal of Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/7/073038 |
| _version_ | 1797750980129849344 |
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| author | Sthitadhi Roy Krishanu Roychowdhury Sourin Das |
| author_facet | Sthitadhi Roy Krishanu Roychowdhury Sourin Das |
| author_sort | Sthitadhi Roy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We show that the surface states of pristine 3D topological insulators (TIs) are analogs of ferromagnetic half metals due to complete polarization of an emergent momentum independent pseudospin (SU(2)) degree of freedom on the surface. To put this claim on firm footing, we present results for TI surfaces perpendicular to the crystal growth axis, which clearly show that the tunneling conductance between two such TI surfaces of the same TI material is dominated by this half metallic behavior leading to physics reminiscent of a spin-valve. Further using the generalized tunnel magnetoresistance derived in this work we also study the tunneling current between arbitrary TI surfaces. We also perform a comprehensive study of the effect of all possible surface potentials allowed by time reversal symmetry on this spin-valve effect and show that it is robust against most of such potentials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:41:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a3e4aea9ef744252b8e1cdae1d732ce1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1367-2630 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:41:41Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Journal of Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a3e4aea9ef744252b8e1cdae1d732ce12023-08-08T14:29:30ZengIOP PublishingNew Journal of Physics1367-26302016-01-0118707303810.1088/1367-2630/18/7/073038Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfacesSthitadhi Roy0Krishanu Roychowdhury1Sourin Das2Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme , Nöthnitzer Straβe 38, D-01187 Dresden, GermanyMax-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme , Nöthnitzer Straβe 38, D-01187 Dresden, Germany; LASSP, Department of Physics, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi , Delhi 110 007, IndiaWe show that the surface states of pristine 3D topological insulators (TIs) are analogs of ferromagnetic half metals due to complete polarization of an emergent momentum independent pseudospin (SU(2)) degree of freedom on the surface. To put this claim on firm footing, we present results for TI surfaces perpendicular to the crystal growth axis, which clearly show that the tunneling conductance between two such TI surfaces of the same TI material is dominated by this half metallic behavior leading to physics reminiscent of a spin-valve. Further using the generalized tunnel magnetoresistance derived in this work we also study the tunneling current between arbitrary TI surfaces. We also perform a comprehensive study of the effect of all possible surface potentials allowed by time reversal symmetry on this spin-valve effect and show that it is robust against most of such potentials.https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/7/073038topological insulatorsquantum transportmesoscopic physics |
| spellingShingle | Sthitadhi Roy Krishanu Roychowdhury Sourin Das Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces New Journal of Physics topological insulators quantum transport mesoscopic physics |
| title | Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| title_full | Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| title_fullStr | Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| title_short | Pseudospin-valve effect on transport in junctions of three-dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| title_sort | pseudospin valve effect on transport in junctions of three dimensional topological insulator surfaces |
| topic | topological insulators quantum transport mesoscopic physics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/7/073038 |
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