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Nanoindentation of single‐crystal Bi 2 Te 3 topological insulators grown with the Bridgman–Stockbarger method
Author(s) -
Lamuta Caterina,
Cupolillo Anna,
Politano Antonio,
Aliev Ziya S.,
Babanly Mahammad B.,
Chulkov Evgueni V.,
Alfano Marco,
Pagnotta Leonardo
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201552760
Subject(s) - nanoindentation , crystallite , materials science , single crystal , bismuth , crystallography , diffraction , bismuth telluride , analytical chemistry (journal) , composite material , optics , chemistry , metallurgy , thermoelectric materials , thermal conductivity , physics , chromatography
In this work, bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ) single crystals were grown from melted polycrystalline Bi–Te material using the Bridgman–Stockbarger method. Crystalline quality and surface chemistry were investigated through X‐ray diffraction analysis and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mechanical properties were investigated by means of depth‐sensing nanoindentation tests carried out using the continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) technique. In turn, the distribution of material hardness and Young's modulus in the depth direction (i.e., perpendicular to the single crystal basal plane) were resolved and quantitative comparisons with the available data extracted from previous literature works were drawn. It is shown that the obtained single crystals are free of contaminants and/or oxide phases and that the mechanical properties lie between those reported in recent literature for Bi 2 Te 3 polycrystalline thin films and 2D nanosheets.