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Front Cover: High‐pressure studies of topological insulators Bi 2 Se 3 , Bi 2 Te 3 , and Sb 2 Te 3 (Phys. Status Solidi B 4/2013)
Author(s) -
Manjón F. J.,
Vilaplana R.,
Gomis O.,
PérezGonzález E.,
SantamaríaPérez D.,
MarínBorrás V.,
Segura A.,
González J.,
RodríguezHernández P.,
Muñoz A.,
Drasar C.,
Kucek V.,
MuñozSanjosé V.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201390009
Subject(s) - topological insulator , semiconductor , band gap , materials science , semimetal , topology (electrical circuits) , thermoelectric effect , condensed matter physics , front cover , high pressure , cover (algebra) , engineering physics , optoelectronics , physics , electrical engineering , mechanical engineering , thermodynamics , engineering
Topological insulators are attracting increased attention in the last years. Bi 2 Se 3 , Bi 2 Te 3 , and Sb 2 Te 3 are narrow bandgap semiconductors with tetradymite layered crystal structure (R‐3m) at ambient conditions. These materials have been extensively studied along with their alloys due to their promising operation as thermoelectric materials in the temperature range between 300 K and 500 K. However, studies of these layered semiconductors have increased tremendously in the last years since they have been predicted and demonstrated to behave as 3D topological insulators. In particular, a number of high‐pressure studies have been performed in recent years in these materials. Manjón et al. ( pp. 669–676 ) review the main results of the high‐pressure studies performed in this family of semiconductors, paying special attention to the main characteristics of the pressure‐induced electronic topological transition and the three high‐pressure structural phases (see cover). More high‐pressure studies are still needed to get a full picture of the behavior of these materials in order to turn 3D topological insulators into materials for amazing technological applications. Therefore, future high‐pressure studies to be performed on these 3D topological insulators are also commented.