Spinodal decomposition is proposed for stabilizing self-assembled interfaces between topological insulators (TIs) by combining layers of iso-structural and iso-valent TlBiX2 (X=S, Se, Te) materials. The composition range for gapless states is addressed concurrently to the study of thermodynamically driven boundaries. By tailoring composition, the TlBiS2-TlBiTe2 system might produce both spinodal superlattices and two dimensional eutectic microstructures, either concurrently or separately. The dimensions and topological nature of the metallic channels are determined by following the spatial distribution of the charge density and the spin-texture. The results validate the proof of concept for obtaining spontaneously forming two-dimensional TI-conducting channels embedded into three-dimensional insulating environments without any vacuum interfaces. Since spinodal decomposition is a controllable kinetic phenomenon, its leverage could become the long-sought enabler for effective TI technological deployment.
@article{arxiv.1803.06289,
title = {Spinodal superlattices of topological insulators},
author = {Demet Usanmaz and Pinku Nath and Cormac Toher and Jose Javier Plata and Rico Friedrich and Marco Fornari and Marco Buongiorno Nardelli and Stefano Curtarolo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1803.06289},
year = {2018}
}