Bi2Te3 compound has been theoretically predicted (1) to be a topological insulator, and its topologically non-trivial surface state with a single Dirac cone has been observed in photoemission experiments (2). Here we report that superconductivity (Tc^~3K) can be induced in Bi2Te3 as-grown single crystal (with hole-carriers) via pressure. The first-principles calculations show that the electronic structure under pressure remains to be topologically nontrivial, and the Dirac-type surface states can be well distinguished from bulk states at corresponding Fermi level. The proximity effect between superconducting bulk states and Dirac-type surface state could generate Majorana fermions on the surface. We also discuss the possibility that the bulk state could be a topological superconductor.
@article{arxiv.1009.3691,
title = {Pressure induced Superconductivity in Topological Compound Bi2Te3},
author = {J. L. Zhang and S. J. Zhang and H. M. Weng and W. Zhang and L. X. Yang and Q. Q. Liu and S. M. Feng and X. C. Wang and R. C. Yu and L. Z. Cao and L. Wang and W. G. Yang and H. Z. Liu and W. Y. Zhao and S. C. Zhang and X. Dai and Z. Fang and C. Q. Jin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1009.3691},
year = {2011}
}
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Published ahead of print December 20, 2010, doi:10.1073/pnas.1014085108