Quantum electrical transport properties of topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanowires

Abstract: We investigate the quantum transport properties of surface electrons on a topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanowire in a magnetotransport study. Although the nanowires are synthesized by using a relatively coarse method of electrochemical deposition, clear Aharonov-Bohm oscillations of phases 0 and pi are observed, owing to the highly coherent surface electron channel. The oscillation amplitude exhibits exponential temperature dependence, suggesting that the phase coherence length L_phi is inversely proportional to the temperature, as in quasi-ballistic systems. In addition, a weak antilocalization analysis on the surface channel by using a one-dimensional localization theory, enabled by successful extraction of the surface contribution from the magnetoconductance data, is provided in support of the temperature dependence of L_phi.