Shubnikov de Haas quantum oscillation of the surface states in the metallic Bismuth Telluride sheets

Metallic Bi2Te3 crystalline sheets with the room-temperature resistivity of above 10 m{\Omega} cm were prepared and their magnetoresistive transport was measured in a field of up to 9 Tesla. The Shubnikov de Haas oscillations were identified from the secondly-derived magnetoresistance curves. While changing the angle between the field and normal axis of the sheets, we find that the oscillation periods present a cosine dependence on the angle. This indicates a two-dimensional transport due to the surface state. The work reveals a resolvable surface contribution to the overall conduction even in a metallic topological insulator.
Comment: accepted by EPJD, 2013