Weak antilocalization effect and multi-channel transport in SnTe quantum well.

Magnetoresistance measurements were performed on a 30 nm-thick SnTe quantum well (QW) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on the BaF2 substrate in the temperature range of 1.9–50 K. The weak antilocalization (WAL) effect was observed at low temperatures and low magnetic fields as a result of the strong spin–orbit coupling present in the QW. Using the Hikami–Larkin–Nagaoka equation, we analyzed the experimental data and found that the WAL effect is not purely 2D but composed of 2D and 3D channels that exist within the QW structure. The spin–orbit and phase coherence mechanisms are also extracted, and a general view of the transport properties of the QW is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]