Topological insulator homojunctions including magnetic layers: The example of n-p type (n-QLs Bi2Se3/Mn-Bi2Se3) heterostructures

Homojunctions between Bi2Se3 and its Mn-doped phase are investigated as a sample geometry to study the influence of spin degrees of freedom on topological insulator properties. n quintuple layers of Bi2Se3 are grown on top of Mn-doped Bi2Se3 by molecular beam epitaxy for 0≤n≤30 QLs, allowing to unhamperedly monitor the development of electronic and topological properties by surface sensitive techniques like angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. With increasing n, a Mn-induced gap at the Dirac point is gradually filled in an “hourglass” fashion to reestablish a topological surface state at n∼9 QLs. Our results suggest a competition of upward and downward band bending effects due to the presence of an n-p type interface, which can be used to tailor topological and quantum well states independently.