Speaker: Seongshik Oh, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers University
Abstract: Atomic-layer engineering was first made possible in III-V semiconductors in 1980s by MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy), and later in complex oxides in 1990s by MBE and in 2000s by PLD (Pulsed Laser Deposition). The challenges of atomic-layer engineering in complex-oxides compared to those in semiconductors will be discussed. Then I will describe how we apply this technique to a new family of materials called topological insulators (TIs). Topological insulators are predicted to have metallic surface states with polarized spins while inside of the material is insulating. These unique properties pose TIs as promising candidates for spintronics and quantum computation. However, material problems in the current-generation TIs are a major hurdle to implementing real TI devices. I will discuss how we utilize the atomic-engineering schemes to overcome this hurdle and navigate through the vastly unexplored territory of topological insulators.