Controlling the Spin Texture of Topological Insulators by Rational Design of Organic Molecules

Author

Sebastian Jakobs
Awadhesh Narayan
Benjamin Stadtmuller
Andrea Droghetti
Ivan Rungger
Yew San Hor, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Svetlana V. Klyatskaya
Dominik Jungkenn
Johannes Stockl
Martin Laux
Oliver L. Monti
Martin Aeschlimann
Robert Joseph Cava
Stefan Mathias
S. Sanvito
Mirko Cinchetti

Abstract

We present a rational design approach to customize the spin texture of surface states of a topological insulator. This approach relies on the extreme multifunctionality of organic molecules that are used to functionalize the surface of the prototypical topological insulator (TI) Bi₂Se₃. For the rational design we use theoretical calculations to guide the choice and chemical synthesis of appropriate molecules that customize the spin texture of Bi₂Se₃. The theoretical predictions are then verified in angular-resolved photoemission experiments. We show that, by tuning the strength of molecule-TI interaction, the surface of the TI can be passivated, the Dirac point can energetically be shifted at will, and Rashba-split quantum-well interface states can be created. These tailored interface properties-passivation, spin-texture tuning, and creation of hybrid interface states-lay a solid foundation for interface-assisted molecular spintronics in spin-textured materials.

Recommended Citation

S. Jakobs and A. Narayan and B. Stadtmuller and A. Droghetti and I. Rungger and Y. S. Hor and S. V. Klyatskaya and D. Jungkenn and J. Stockl and M. Laux and O. L. Monti and M. Aeschlimann and R. J. Cava and S. Mathias and S. Sanvito and M. Cinchetti, "Controlling the Spin Texture of Topological Insulators by Rational Design of Organic Molecules," Nano Letters, vol. 15, no. 9, pp. 6022 - 6029, American Chemical Society (ACS), Sep 2015.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02213

Department(s)

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Electric Insulators; Hybrid Materials; Interfaces (Materials); Molecules; Passivation; Quantum Theory; Semiconductor Quantum Wells; Synthesis (Chemical); Molecular Spintronics; Multifunctionality; Organic Molecules; Organic/Inorganic Interfaces; Quantum Well Interfaces; Spin Textures; Theoretical Calculations; Topological Insulators; Interface States

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1530-6984

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2015 American Chemical Society (ACS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Sep 2015