Identifying Native Point Defects in the Topological Insulator Bi2Te3.

We successfully identified native point defects that occur in Bi2Te3 crystals by combining high-resolution bias-dependent scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory based calculations. As-grown Bi2Te3 crystals contain vacancies, antisites, and interstitial defects that may result in bulk conductivity and therefore may change the insulating bulk character. Here, we demonstrate the interplay between the growth conditions and the density of different types of native near-surface defects. In particular, scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals the dependence on not only the local atomic environment but also on the growth kinetics and the resulting sample doping from n-type toward intrinsic crystals with the Fermi level positioned inside the energy gap. Our results establish a bias-dependent STM signature of the Bi2Te3 native defects and shed light on the link between the native defects and the electronic properties of Bi2Te3, which is relevant for the synthesis of topological insulator materials and the related functional properties.

Adsorption of Te atoms on Au(1 1 1) and the emergence of an adatom-induced bound state.

We report on the adsorption of Te adatoms on Au(1 1 1), which are identified and investigated relying on scanning tunnelling microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and density functional theory. The Te adatoms lift the 23 × âˆš3 surface reconstruction of the Au(1 1 1) support and their organization is similar to that of previously reported chalcogen adatoms on Au(1 1 1), which are also known to lift the herringbone reconstruction and can adopt a (√3 × âˆš3)R30° structure. The adatoms show strong interaction with the Au(1 1 1) surface, resulting in scattering and confinement of the Au surface state (SS) electrons near the Fermi level. More remarkably, scanning tunnelling spectroscopy reveals the existence of an electronic resonance at high voltages well above the Fermi level. This resonance can be interpreted as a bound state that is split off from the bottom of the Au(1 1 1) bulk conduction band. A similar split-off state may exist for other types of adatoms on metallic surfaces that exhibit a surface band gap.

Electronically decoupled stacking fault tetrahedra embedded in Au(111) films.

Stacking faults are known as defective structures in crystalline materials that typically lower the structural quality of the material. Here, we show that a particular type of defect, that is, stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs), exhibits pronounced quantized electronic behaviour, revealing a potential synthetic route to decoupled nanoparticles in metal films. We report on the electronic properties of SFTs that exist in Au(111) films, as evidenced by scanning tunnelling microscopy and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. We find that the SFTs reveal a remarkable decoupling from their metal surroundings, leading to pronounced energy level quantization effects within the SFTs. The electronic behaviour of the SFTs can be described well by the particle-in-a-box model. Our findings demonstrate that controlled preparation of SFTs may offer an alternative way to achieve well-decoupled nanoparticles of high crystalline quality in metal thin films without the need of thin insulating layers.