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Observation of a topologically non-trivial surface state in half-Heusler PtLuSb(001) thin films

Thiagarajan, Balasubramanian LU and Polley, Craig LU (2016) In Nature Communications 7.
Abstract
The discovery of topological insulators, materials with bulk band gaps and protected cross-gap surface states in compounds such as Bi2Se3, has generated much interest in identifying topological surface states (TSSs) in other classes of materials. In particular, recent theoretical calculations suggest that TSSs may be found in half-Heusler ternary compounds. If experimentally realizable, this would provide a materials platform for entirely new heterostructure spintronic devices that make use of the structurally identical but electronically varied nature of Heusler compounds. Here we show the presence of a TSS in epitaxially grown thin films of the half-Heusler compound PtLuSb. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy,... (More)
The discovery of topological insulators, materials with bulk band gaps and protected cross-gap surface states in compounds such as Bi2Se3, has generated much interest in identifying topological surface states (TSSs) in other classes of materials. In particular, recent theoretical calculations suggest that TSSs may be found in half-Heusler ternary compounds. If experimentally realizable, this would provide a materials platform for entirely new heterostructure spintronic devices that make use of the structurally identical but electronically varied nature of Heusler compounds. Here we show the presence of a TSS in epitaxially grown thin films of the half-Heusler compound PtLuSb. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, complemented by theoretical calculations, reveals a surface state with linear dispersion and a helical tangential spin texture consistent with previous predictions. This experimental verification of topological behaviour is a significant step forward in establishing half-Heusler compounds as a viable material system for future spintronic devices. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature Communications
volume
7
article number
11993
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:84976544285
  • pmid:27346655
  • wos:000379109200001
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/ncomms11993
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
47507166-0356-488c-92aa-fc7c9690a62b
date added to LUP
2016-11-15 14:10:08
date last changed
2022-03-16 17:37:41
@article{47507166-0356-488c-92aa-fc7c9690a62b,
  abstract     = {{The discovery of topological insulators, materials with bulk band gaps and protected cross-gap surface states in compounds such as Bi2Se3, has generated much interest in identifying topological surface states (TSSs) in other classes of materials. In particular, recent theoretical calculations suggest that TSSs may be found in half-Heusler ternary compounds. If experimentally realizable, this would provide a materials platform for entirely new heterostructure spintronic devices that make use of the structurally identical but electronically varied nature of Heusler compounds. Here we show the presence of a TSS in epitaxially grown thin films of the half-Heusler compound PtLuSb. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, complemented by theoretical calculations, reveals a surface state with linear dispersion and a helical tangential spin texture consistent with previous predictions. This experimental verification of topological behaviour is a significant step forward in establishing half-Heusler compounds as a viable material system for future spintronic devices.}},
  author       = {{Thiagarajan, Balasubramanian and Polley, Craig}},
  issn         = {{2041-1723}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Communications}},
  title        = {{Observation of a topologically non-trivial surface state in half-Heusler PtLuSb(001) thin films}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/17704523/ncomms11993.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/ncomms11993}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}