Disentangling surface and bulk transport in topological insulator $p$-$n$ junctions

D. Backes, R. Mansell, M. Lanius, J. Kampmeier, D. A. Ritchie, G. Mussler, D. Gruetzmacher, V. Narayan

Published 2016-05-22Version 1

By combining $n$-type $\mathrm{Bi_2Te_3}$ and $p$-type $\mathrm{Sb_2Te_3}$ topological insulators, vertically stacked $p$-$n$ junctions can be formed, allowing to position the Fermi level into the bulk band gap and also tune between $n$- and $p$-type surface carriers. Here we use low-temperature magnetotransport measurements to probe the surface and bulk transport modes in a range of vertical $\mathrm{Bi_2Te_3/Sb_2Te_3}$ heterostructures with varying relative thicknesses of the top and bottom layers. With increasing thickness of the $\mathrm{Sb_2Te_3}$ layer we observe a change from $n$- to $p$-type behavior and a specific regime where the Hall signal is immeasurable. We develop a multichannel conductance model which has the mobility of the topological surface state as the only fitting parameter. The model correctly anticipates the dependence of the Hall and longitudinal components of resistivity. Furthermore, it predicts the compensation of $n$- and $p$-type contributions at a specific composition, where indeed the resistance is very high and, simultaneously, the Hall signal is immeasurable. Lastly, it explains why the alignment of Fermi level and Dirac point do not coincide with the suppression of bulk conduction. Our results provide crucial experimental and theoretical insights into the relative roles of the surface and bulk in the vertical topological $p$-$n$ junctions and establish them as viable low-$\rho$ counterparts to alternative bulk-compensated topological insulators.