Direct Observation of Spin-Polarized Surface States in the Parent Compound of a Topological Insulator Using Spin- and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy in a Mott-Polarimetry Mode

Author

David Hsieh
Lewis Andrew Wray
Dong Qian
Yuqi Xia
Jan Hugo Dil
Fabian Meier
Luc Patthey
Jurg Osterwalder
Gustav Bihlmayer
Yew San Hor, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Robert Joseph Cava
Md Zahid Hasan

Abstract

We report high-resolution spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-ARPES) measurements on the parent compound Sb of the recently discovered three-dimensional topological insulator Bi_1-xSb_x (Hsieh et al 2008 Nature 452 970, Hsieh et al 2009 Science 323 919). By modulating the incident photon energy, we are able to map both the bulk and the (111) surface band structure, from which we directly demonstrate that the surface bands are spin polarized by the spin-orbit interaction and connect the bulk valence and conduction bands in a topologically non-trivial way. A unique asymmetric Dirac surface state gives rise to a k-splitting of its spin-polarized electronic channels. These results complement our previously published works on this class of materials and re-confirm our discovery of topological insulator states in the Bi_1-xSb_x series.

Recommended Citation

D. Hsieh and L. A. Wray and D. Qian and Y. Xia and J. H. Dil and F. Meier and L. Patthey and J. Osterwalder and G. Bihlmayer and Y. S. Hor and R. J. Cava and M. Z. Hasan, "Direct Observation of Spin-Polarized Surface States in the Parent Compound of a Topological Insulator Using Spin- and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy in a Mott-Polarimetry Mode," New Journal of Physics, vol. 12, IOP Publishing, Dec 2010.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/12/12/125001

Department(s)

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy; Direct Observation; Electronic Channels; High Resolution; Incident Photon Energy; Non-trivial; Parent Compounds; Photoemission Spectroscopy; Spin Orbit Interactions; Spin-polarized; Spin-polarized Surface State; Surface Bands; Surface State; Antimony Compounds; Bismuth Compounds; Electric Insulators; Electron Mobility; Emission Spectroscopy; Heterojunctions; Luminescence Of Organic Solids; Photoemission; Topology; Surface Structure

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1367-2630

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2010 IOP Publishing, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2010