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In this letter, we report on an analytical technique for optical investigations of semitransparent samples. By Fourier transforming optical spectra with Fabry-Perot resonances we extract information about sample thickness and its discrete variations. Moreover, this information is used to recover optical spectra devoid of Fabry-Perot fringes, which simplifies optical modelling, and can reveal previously concealed spectral features. To illustrate its use, we apply our technique to a Si wafer as well as six different cleavable layered materials, including topological insulators, thermoelectrics, and magnetic insulators. In the layered materials, we find strong evidence of large step edges and thickness inhomogeneity, and cannot conclusively exclude the presence of voids in the bulk of cleaved samples. This could strongly affect the interpretation of transport and optical data of crystals with topologically protected surfaces states., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

A key challenge in condensed matter research is the optimization of topological insulator (TI) compounds for the study and future application of their unique surface states. Truly insulating bulk states would allow the exploitation of predicted surface state properties, such as protection from backscattering, dissipationless spin-polarized currents, and the emergence of novel particles. Towards this end, major progress was recently made with the introduction of highly resistive Bi$_2$Te$_2$Se, in which surface state conductance and quantum oscillations are observed at low temperatures. Nevertheless, an unresolved and pivotal question remains: while room temperature ARPES studies reveal clear evidence of TI surface states, their observation in transport experiments is limited to low temperatures. A better understanding of this surface state suppression at elevated temperatures is of fundamental interest, and crucial for pushing the boundary of device applications towards room-temperature operation. In this work, we simultaneously measure TI bulk and surface states via temperature dependent optical spectroscopy, in conjunction with transport and ARPES measurements. We find evidence of coherent surface state transport at low temperatures, and propose that phonon mediated coupling between bulk and surface states suppresses surface conductance as temperature rises., Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures

In the recently discovered class of materials known as topological insulators, the presence of strong spin-orbit coupling causes certain topological invariants in the bulk to differ from their values in vacuum. The sudden change of invariants at the interface results in metallic, time reversal invariant surface states whose properties are useful for applications in spintronics and quantum computation. However, a key challenge is to fabricate these materials on the nanoscale appropriate for devices and probing the surface. To this end we have produced 2 nm thick nanocrystals of the topological insulator Bi$_2$Se$_3$ via mechanical exfoliation. For crystals thinner than 10 nm we observe the emergence of an additional mode in the Raman spectrum. The emergent mode intensity together with the other results presented here provide a recipe for production and thickness characterization of Bi$_2$Se$_3$ nanocrystals., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures (accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letters)