Mitrofanovite Pt₃Te₄: A Topological Metal with Termination-Dependent Surface Band Structure and Strong Spin Polarization.

ABSTRACT: Due to their peculiar quasiparticle excitations, topological metals have high potential for applications in the fields of spintronics, catalysis, and superconductivity. Here, by combining spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, and density functional theory, we discover surface-termination-dependent topological electronic states in the recently discovered mitrofanovite Pt₃Te₄. Mitrofanovite crystal is formed by alternating, van der Waals bound layers of Pt₂Te₂ and PtTe₂. Our results demonstrate that mitrofanovite is a topological metal with termination-dependent (i) electronic band structure and (ii) spin texture. Despite their distinct electronic character, both surface terminations are characterized by electronic states exhibiting strong spin polarization with a node at the Γ point and sign reversal across the Γ point, indicating their topological nature and the possibility of realizing two distinct electronic configurations (both of them with topological features) on the surface of the same material.

SUBMITTER: Fujii J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8482756 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature