University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have demonstrated how surface-conduction channels in topological nanoribbons made of bismuth telluride can be turned on and off depending on the position of the Fermi level.
"Our finding enables a variety of opportunities in building potential new-generation, low-dissipation nanoelectronic and spintronic devices, from magnetic sensing to storage," says UCLA professor Kang L. Wang. The researchers also showed that controlling surface states in topological insulator nanostructures is possible.
"We have demonstrated a clear surface conduction by partially removing the bulk conduction using an external electric field," says UCLA researcher Faxian Xiu. "Very similar to the development of graphene, the topological insulators could be made into high-speed transistors and ultra–high-sensitivity sensors," Wang says.
The UCLA researchers now want to produce high-speed devices based on the discovery. "Based on the current work, we are targeting high-performance transistors with power consumption that is much less than the conventional complementary metal-oxide semiconductors technology used typically in today's electronics," Xiu says.
From UCLA Newsroom
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