Ripple-modulated electronic structureof a 3D topological insulator

摘要

Three-dimensional topological insulators host linearly dispersing states with unique propertiesand a strong potential for applications. An important ingredient in realizing some of the moreexotic states in topological insulators is the ability to manipulate local electronic properties.Direct analogy to the Dirac material graphene suggests that a possible avenue for controllinglocal properties is via a controlled structural deformation such as the formation of ripples.However, the influence of such ripples on topological insulators is yet to be explored. Here weuse scanning tunnelling microscopy to determine the effects of one-dimensional buckling onthe electronic properties of Bi2Te3. By tracking spatial variations of the interference patternsgenerated by the Dirac electrons we show that buckling imposes a periodic potential, whichlocally modulates the surface-state dispersion. This suggests that forming one- and twodimensional ripples is a viable method for creating nanoscale potential landscapes that can beused to control the properties of Dirac electrons in topological insulators.