MBE growth optimization of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films

We investigated the growth of the topological insulator Bi2Te3 on Si(1 1 1) substrates by means of molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). The substrate temperature as well as the Bi and Te beam-equivalent pressure (BEP) was varied in a large range. The structure and morphology of the layers were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The layer-by-layer growth mode with quintuple layer (QL) as an unit is accomplished on large plateaus if the MBE growth takes place in a Te overpressure. At carefully optimized MBE growth parameters, we obtained atomically smooth, single-crystal Bi2Te3 with large area single QL covering about 75% of the layer surface. Angular-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a linear energy dispersion of charge carriers at the surface, evidencing topologically insulating properties of the Bi2Te3 epilayers.