Observation of a topologically non-trivial surface state in half-Heusler PtLuSb (001) thin films
書誌事項
- 公開日
- 2016-06-27
- 権利情報
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- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
- DOI
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- 10.1038/ncomms11993
- 公開者
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
説明
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The discovery of topological insulators, materials with bulk band gaps and protected cross-gap surface states in compounds such as Bi<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Se<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>, has generated much interest in identifying topological surface states (TSSs) in other classes of materials. In particular, recent theoretical calculations suggest that TSSs may be found in half-Heusler ternary compounds. If experimentally realizable, this would provide a materials platform for entirely new heterostructure spintronic devices that make use of the structurally identical but electronically varied nature of Heusler compounds. Here we show the presence of a TSS in epitaxially grown thin films of the half-Heusler compound PtLuSb. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, complemented by theoretical calculations, reveals a surface state with linear dispersion and a helical tangential spin texture consistent with previous predictions. This experimental verification of topological behaviour is a significant step forward in establishing half-Heusler compounds as a viable material system for future spintronic devices.</jats:p>
収録刊行物
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- Nature Communications
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Nature Communications 7 (1), 11993-, 2016-06-27
Springer Science and Business Media LLC