Transport properties of topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films in tilted magnetic fields

We report a systematic study of the electron transport properties of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films with various thicknesses in tilted magnetic fields. The negative magnetoconductivity observed in tilted fields cannot be described as a sum of the contributions from the perpendicular and the parallel magnetic fields. The details of the tilt angle dependencies rule out the possibility of significant Zeeman effects on the low field magnetotransport. Possible mechanisms for the in-plane-field effect are discussed based on the experimental data.

► The Zeeman energy terms are insignificant in the low field range relevant to weak antilocalization.
► The magnetoconductivity in thicker films has a stronger dependence on the magnetic field than those in thinner films.
► The magnetoconductivity observed in magnetic fields nearly parallel to the thin film plane might be attributed to the finite thickness effects.