Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition in the Type-I Weyl Semimetal PtBi2.

Symmetry breaking in topological matter has become in recent years a key concept in condensed matter physics to unveil novel electronic states. In this work, we predict that broken inversion symmetry and strong spin-orbit coupling in trigonal PtBi2 lead to a type-I Weyl semimetal band structure. Transport measurements show an unusually robust low dimensional superconductivity in thin exfoliated flakes up to 126 nm in thickness (with Tc ∼ 275-400 mK), which constitutes the first report and study of unambiguous superconductivity in a type-I Weyl semimetal. Remarkably, a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition with TBKT ∼ 310 mK is revealed in up to 60 nm thick flakes, which is nearly an order of magnitude thicker than the rare examples of two-dimensional superconductors exhibiting such a transition. This makes PtBi2 an ideal platform to study low dimensional and unconventional superconductivity in topological semimetals.

Determination of Cleavage Energy and Efficient Nanostructuring of Layered Materials by Atomic Force Microscopy.

A method is presented to use atomic force microscopy to measure the cleavage energy of van der Waals materials and similar quasi-two-dimensional materials. The cleavage energy of graphite is measured to be 0.36 J/m2, in good agreement with literature data. The same method yields a cleavage energy of 0.6 J/m2 for MoS2 as a representative of the dichalcogenides. In the case of the weak topological insulator Bi14Rh3I9 no cleavage energy is obtained, although cleavage is successful with an adapted approach. The cleavage energies of these materials are evaluated by means of density-functional calculations and literature data. This further validates the presented method and sets an upper limit of about 0.7 J/m2 to the cleavage energy that can be measured by the present setup. In addition, this method can be used as a tool for manipulating exfoliated flakes, prior to or after contacting, which may open a new route for the fabrication of nanostructures.

Metamagnetism of Weakly Coupled Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulators.

The magnetic properties of the van der Waals magnetic topological insulators MnBi_{2}Te_{4} and MnBi_{4}Te_{7} are investigated by magnetotransport measurements. We evidence that the relative strength of the interlayer exchange coupling J to the uniaxial anisotropy K controls a transition from an A-type antiferromagnetic order to a ferromagneticlike metamagnetic state. A bilayer Stoner-Wohlfarth model allows us to describe this evolution, as well as the typical angular dependence of specific signatures, such as the spin-flop transition of the uniaxial antiferromagnet and the switching field of the metamagnet.

Enhanced Mobility of Spin-Helical Dirac Fermions in Disordered 3D Topological Insulators.

The transport length ltr and the mean free path le are determined for bulk and surface states in a Bi2Se3 nanoribbon by quantum transport and transconductance measurements. We show that the anisotropic scattering of spin-helical Dirac fermions results in a strong enhancement of ltr (≈ 200 nm) and of the related mobility µtr (≈ 4000 cm2 V-1 s-1), which confirms theoretical predictions.1 Despite strong disorder, the long-range nature of the scattering potential gives a large ratio ltr/le ≈ 8, likely limited by bulk/surface coupling. This suggests that the spin-flip length lsf ≈ ltr could reach the micron size in materials with a reduced bulk doping and paves the way for building functionalized spintronic and ballistic electronic devices out of disordered 3D topological insulators.

Band Bending Inversion in Bi2Se3 Nanostructures.

Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations were studied under high magnetic field in Bi2Se3 nanostructures grown by chemical vapor transport, for different bulk carrier densities ranging from 3 × 10(19) cm(-3) to 6 × 10(17) cm(-3). The contribution of topological surface states to electrical transport can be identified and separated from bulk carriers and massive two-dimensional electron gas. Band bending is investigated, and a crossover from upward to downward band bending is found at low bulk density as a result of a competition between bulk and interface doping. These results highlight the need to control electrical doping both in the bulk and at interfaces in order to study only topological surface states.

P-doping mechanisms in catalyst-free gallium arsenide nanowires.

Doped catalyst-free GaAs nanowires have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy with the gallium-assisted method. The spatial dependence of the dopant concentration and resistivity have been measured by Raman spectroscopy and four point electrical measurements. Along with theoretical considerations, the doping mechanisms have been revealed. Two competing mechanisms have been revealed: dopant incorporation from the side facets and from the gallium droplet. In the latter incorporation path, doping compensation seems to play an important role in the effective dopant concentration. Hole concentrations of at least 2.4 x 10(18) cm(-3) have been achieved, which to our knowledge is the largest p doping range obtained up to date. This work opens the avenue for the use of doped GaAs nanowires in advanced applications and in mesoscopic physics experiments.