Inverted Resistance Measurements as a Method for Characterizing the Bulk and Surface Conductivities of Three-Dimensional Topological Insulators

Abstract

Fundamental research aside, studying three-dimensional topological insulators (3D TIs) is important for realizing advanced electronics, such as dissipationless transistors and spintronic devices. In characterizing 3D TIs, one difficulty comes from the fact that both surface and bulk conduction exist, and are markedly different. When surface conduction dominates, as in SmB${}_{6}$, characterizing the bulk value is impeded. This study offers a technique to access the bulk conductivity in the surface-dominated regime. This method is expected to see wide use for in-depth transport studies of 3D TIs.