Molecular beam epitaxial growth and electronic transport properties of high quality topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films on hexagonal boron nitride

Abstract

We report the molecular beam epitaxial growth and characterization of high quality topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). A two-step growth was developed, enhancing both the surface coverage and crystallinity of the films on h-BN. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy study showed an atomically abrupt and epitaxial interface formation between the h-BN substrate and Bi2Se3. We performed gate tuned magnetotransport characterizations of the device fabricated on the thin film and confirmed a high mobility surface state at the Bi2Se3/h-BN interface. The Berry phase obtained from Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations suggested this interfacial electronic state is a topologically protected Dirac state.