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Topological insulator (TI) materials are exciting candidates for integrationinto next-generation memory and logic devices because of their potential forefficient, low-energy-consumption switching of magnetization. Specifically, thefamily of bismuth chalcogenides offers efficient spin-to-charge conversionbecause of its large spin-orbit coupling and spin-momentum locking of surfacestates. However, a major obstacle to realizing the promise of TIs is thethin-film materials' quality, which lags behind that of epitaxially grownsemiconductors. In contrast to the latter systems, the Bi-chalcogenides form byvan der Waals epitaxy, which allows them to successfully grow onto substrateswith various degrees of lattice mismatch. This flexibility enables theintegration of TIs into heterostructures with emerging materials, includingtwo-dimensional materials. However, understanding and controlling localfeatures and defects within the TI films is critical to achieving breakthroughdevice performance. Here, we report observations and modeling of large-scalestructural defects in (Bi,Sb)$_2$Te$_3$ films grown onto hexagonal BN,highlighting unexpected symmetry-breaking rotations within the films and thecoexistence of a second phase along grain boundaries. Using first-principlescalculations, we show that these defects could have consequential impacts onthe devices that rely on these TI films, and therefore they cannot be ignored.

Large-scale defects hidden inside a topological insulator grown onto a 2D substrate