Abstract
We investigate Dirac fermions on the surface of the topological insulator using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Landau levels (LLs) are observed in the tunneling spectra in a magnetic field. In contrast to LLs of conventional electrons, a field-independent LL appears at the Dirac point, which is a hallmark of Dirac fermions. A scaling analysis of LLs based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition allowed us to determine the dispersion of the surface band. Near the Fermi energy, fine peaks mixed with LLs appear in the spectra, which may be responsible for the anomalous magnetofingerprint effect [J. G. Checkelsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 246601 (2009)].
- Received 28 February 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.081305
©2010 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
Quantized topological surface states promise a quantum Hall state in topological insulators
Published 9 August 2010
The first experimental observation of Landau levels in the surface states of a three-dimensional topological insulator confirms the levels obey unconventional quantization rules.
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