biostudies-literatureUnknown7Kim KCInterfaces, such as grain boundaries in a solid material, are excellent regions to explore novel properties that emerge as the result of local symmetry-breaking. For instance, at the interface of a layered-chalcogenide material, the potential reconfiguration of the atoms at the boundaries can lead to a significant modification of the electronic properties because of their complex atomic bonding structure. Here, we report the experimental observation of an electron source at 60° twin boundaries in Bi2Te3, a representative layered-chalcogenide material. First-principles calculations reveal that the modification of the interatomic distance at the 60° twin boundary to accommodate structural misfits can alter the electronic structure of Bi2Te3. The change in the electronic structure generates oNature communications12449https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4990697biostudies-literatureFree-electron creation at the 60° twin boundary in Bi2Te3.PMC4990697Won SOKim DIChoi WYKim HJLee JHyun DBKim BKKim JSKwon BBaek SHChang HJKoo HCChoi JHKim KCKim SKfalseFree-electron creation at the 60° twin boundary in Bi2Te3.Interfaces, such as grain boundaries in a solid material, are excellent regions to explore novel properties that emerge as the result of local symmetry-breaking. For instance, at the interface of a layered-chalcogenide material, the potential reconfiguration of the atoms at the boundaries can lead to a significant modification of the electronic properties because of their complex atomic bonding structure. Here, we report the experimental observation of an electron source at 60° twin boundaries in Bi2Te3, a representative layered-chalcogenide material. First-principles calculations reveal that the modification of the interatomic distance at the 60° twin boundary to accommodate structural misfits can alter the electronic structure of Bi2Te3. The change in the electronic structure generates o2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Aug2025-04-22T15:59:04.712Z2019-03-27T02:21:00ZS-EPMC49906972752726810.1038/ncomms12449