Unchanged top surface-state structures in three-dimensional topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin films in the presence of bottom-surface moiré potentials

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ae0926

Abstract The exertion of a long-period potential on two-dimensional (2D) systems leads to band-structure downfolding and the formation of mini flat bands, thereby providing a route for band engineering and enabling the realization of new physical phenomena through the tuning of electron-electron interactions. In this work, the effect of the moiré superlattice formed between the substrate and the bottom quintuple layer (QL) of 3- and 4-QL three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator Sb$_{2}$Te$_{3}$ thin films on the top surface states is investigated. The scanning tunneling spectra reveal that the bulk-like bands exhibit potential variations consistent with the moiré pattern. In contrast, the surface states display only minimal potential variations, resulting in the absence of mini-band formation in the top surface states. These surface states remain nearly unaffected, as confirmed by Landau-level spectroscopy and simulations. The results suggest distinct roles of the bottom-surface moiré potential on the bulk states and the top surface states in the weak coupling regime between the two surfaces.

Keywords: scanning tunneling spectroscopy topological surface states heterostructure moiré potential

Received: 16 August 2025
Revised: 07 September 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 19 September 2025

PACS:	68.37.-d	(Microscopy of surfaces, interfaces, and thin films)
	68.37.Ef	(Scanning tunneling microscopy (including chemistry induced with STM))
	73.20.At	(Surface states, band structure, electron density of states)
	73.21.Cd	(Superlattices)

Fund: We acknowledge the supporting from the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFA1403102) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12474478, 92065102, and 12574094).

Corresponding Authors: Jun Zhang, Ye-Ping Jiang
E-mail: zhangjun@ee.ecnu.edu.cn;ypjiang@clpm.ecnu.edu.cn

About author: 2025-126801-251421.pdf

Cite this article:

Dezhi Song(宋德志), Fuyang Huang(黄扶旸), Jun Zhang(仉君), and Ye-Ping Jiang(蒋烨平) Unchanged top surface-state structures in three-dimensional topological insulator Sb₂Te₃ thin films in the presence of bottom-surface moiré potentials 2025 Chin. Phys. B 34 126801

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Unchanged top surface-state structures in three-dimensional topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin films in the presence of bottom-surface moiré potentials

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Unchanged top surface-state structures in three-dimensional topological insulator Sb₂Te₃ thin films in the presence of bottom-surface moiré potentials