Copper migration in intercalated topological insulator Cu<sub>x</sub>Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

CuxBi2Se3 is a topological insulator (TI) material in which Cu intercalation between the Bi2Se3 quintuple layers can yield superconductivity. Using ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS), we report copper migration from the bulk towards the surface in this material in controlled oxidizing environments as well as ambient conditions. The migration occurs on a timescale of hours to weeks after initial cleaving, and proceeds along with the oxidation of the sample surface. These results demonstrate dynamic surface chemistry, relevant for tailoring the topological surface states for utilization in ambient environments.

*A.L.G. and S.N. acknowledge funding through the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under a grant titled “Photoemission Investigations of Layered 2D Materials”. We also aknowledge the support of AFOSR Grant No. FA9550-18-1-0156, and NSF-MRI-1828238 for the Davis XPS instrument.

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Publication: Copper migration in intercalated topological insulator CuxBi2Se3

Presenters

  • Adam Gross

    • University of California, Davis
    • University of California Davis

Authors

  • Adam Gross

    • University of California, Davis
    • University of California Davis

  • Lorenz Falling

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

  • Kristie J Koski

    • University of California, Davis

  • Slavomir Nemsak

    • Advanced Light Source
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

  • Inna Vishik

    • University of California, Davis