Transport gap in SmB₆ protected against disorder

The inverted resistance method was used in this study to extend the bulk resistivity of SmB₆ to a regime where the surface conduction overwhelms the bulk. Remarkably, regardless of the large off-stoichiometric growth conditions (inducing disorder by samarium vacancies, boron interstitials, etc.), th...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 116; no. 26; pp. 12638 - 12641
Main Authors Eo, Yun Suk, Rakoski, Alexa, Lucien, Juniar, Mihaliov, Dmitri, Kurdak, Çağlıyan, Rosa, Priscila F. S., Fisk, Zachary
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington National Academy of Sciences 25.06.2019
Subjects
Boron
Conduction
Electrical resistivity
Growth conditions
Interstitials
Physical Sciences
Samarium
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Summary:The inverted resistance method was used in this study to extend the bulk resistivity of SmB₆ to a regime where the surface conduction overwhelms the bulk. Remarkably, regardless of the large off-stoichiometric growth conditions (inducing disorder by samarium vacancies, boron interstitials, etc.), the bulk resistivity shows an intrinsic thermally activated behavior that changes ∼7–10 orders of magnitude, suggesting that SmB₆ is an ideal insulator that is immune to disorder.
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Reviewers: P.C., Rutgers University; and G.G.L., University of Cambridge.
Author contributions: Y.S.E., Ç.K., and P.F.S.R. designed research; P.F.S.R. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; Y.S.E., A.R., J.L., D.M., Ç.K., and P.F.S.R. performed research; Y.S.E., A.R., J.L., D.M., Ç.K., and P.F.S.R. analyzed data; and Y.S.E., Ç.K., P.F.S.R., and Z.F. wrote the paper.
Contributed by Zachary Fisk, April 29, 2019 (sent for review January 23, 2019; reviewed by Piers Coleman and Gilbert George Lonzarich)
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1901245116