Editor’s Choice 2016: Transport properties of topological insulators: Band bending, bulk metal-to-insulator transition, and weak anti-localization

This paper presents a coherent picture for understanding transport measurements on current topological insulator (TI) materials such as those based on Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3. The authors conclude that transport measurements on TI materials are often more complex than non-TI materials due to the various topological and non- topological transport channels that are simultaneously present. The presented results highlight the difficulties in achieving a TI that is insulating in the bulk at finite temperatures. The conclusions point out that fine-tuning of disorder, band bending and weak-anti-localization could lead to creation of TI state that is insulating in the bulk.

Published in: "Solid State Communications".