Quantum Electronic Transport of Topological Surface States in beta-Ag2Se Nanowire

Abstract

Single-crystalline beta-Ag2Se nanostructures, a new class of 3D topological insulators (TIs), were synthesized using the chemical vapor transport method. The topological surface states were verified by measuring electronic transport properties including the weak anti localization effect, Aharonov Bohm oscillations, and Shubnikov de Haas oscillations. First-principles band calculations revealed that the band inversion in beta-Ag2Se is caused by strong spin orbit coupling and Ag Se bonding hybridization. These investigations provide evidence of nontrivial surface state about beta-Ag2Se TIs that have anisotropic Dirac cones