Spatial charge inhomogeneity and defect states in topological Dirac semimetal thin films of Na₃Bi.

ABSTRACT: Topological Dirac semimetals (TDSs) are three-dimensional analogs of graphene, with carriers behaving like massless Dirac fermions in three dimensions. In graphene, substrate disorder drives fluctuations in Fermi energy, necessitating construction of heterostructures of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) to minimize the fluctuations. Three-dimensional TDSs obviate the substrate and should show reduced E_F fluctuations due to better metallic screening and higher dielectric constants. We map the potential fluctuations in TDS Na₃Bi using a scanning tunneling microscope. The rms potential fluctuations are significantly smaller than the thermal energy room temperature (ΔE_F,rms = 4 to 6 meV = 40 to 70 K) and comparable to the highest-quality

SUBMITTER: Edmonds MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5744468 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature