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Quantum Hall Effect from the Topological Surface States of Strained Bulk HgTe

C. Brüne, C. X. Liu, E. G. Novik, E. M. Hankiewicz, H. Buhmann, Y. L. Chen, X. L. Qi, Z. X. Shen, S. C. Zhang, and L. W. Molenkamp
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 126803 – Published 22 March 2011
Physics logo See Synopsis: Bulk carriers cannot take the strain
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Abstract

We report transport studies on a three-dimensional, 70-nm-thick HgTe layer, which is strained by epitaxial growth on a CdTe substrate. The strain induces a band gap in the otherwise semimetallic HgTe, which thus becomes a three-dimensional topological insulator. Contributions from residual bulk carriers to the transport properties of the gapped HgTe layer are negligible at mK temperatures. As a result, the sample exhibits a quantized Hall effect that results from the 2D single cone Dirac-like topological surface states.

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  • Received 14 January 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.126803

© 2011 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Bulk carriers cannot take the strain

Published 22 March 2011

Mercury telluride—a semimetal in bulk—shows signs of becoming a topological insulator under strain.

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Authors & Affiliations

C. Brüne1, C. X. Liu1, E. G. Novik1, E. M. Hankiewicz1, H. Buhmann1, Y. L. Chen2, X. L. Qi2, Z. X. Shen2, S. C. Zhang2, and L. W. Molenkamp1

  • 1Faculty for Physics and Astronomy and Röntgen Center for Complex Material Systems, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany
  • 2Department of Physics, McCullough Building, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4045, USA

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 12 — 25 March 2011

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