Title

Investigation of magnetic surface states of Topological Kondo Insulators and Thin Magnetic Oxides
Introduction
Some topological Kondo insulators, through the Kondo effect of electron correlations, are revealed to
have nontrivial surface states. The transitions from metallic behavior to insulating behavior can be
measured from resistivity measurements, imposing direct or indirect band gaps. Manufacturing of the
crystals are quite difficult and require fine measurements of the lattice structure. We will measure the
properties of the crystals and films using optical, thermal, and electronic instruments that will be
designed for the experiments. These heavy fermion materials lead to unconventional superconductivity
Hypothesis
We may detail the electron correlations and magnetic orderings that give rise to the insulating and
conducting properties of the materials. Electron wavefunctions in condensed matter topological
invariants reveal many interesting phenomena. Samarium hexaboride (SmB6) has been shown to be
thickness independent while clearly having no bulk resistivity [1]. Smb6 has also be confirmed to have
a robust surface state with bulk insulation [2]. A trend should appear on the lattice structures of the
crystal samples and films that will reveal the electron correlations, which may be manipulated by a
variety of techniques that change the parameters of the material such as doping, magnetization, and
strain.
Research Plan
We will manage both the manufacturing of the materials and the design of the probes. Crystals of
Kondo insulators will include FeSi, Ce3Bi4Pt3, SmB6, YbB12, and CsNiSn. Thin films include
SrTiO3 and SrRuO3.We may make adjustments to the Janis fridge and a larger dilution fridge system
that will enable us to make measurements on the temperature as low as 4 Kelvin using liquid helium as
a coolant. The probes will be designed to function with the fridges so that temperature can be
controlled through all the measurements. The Sagnac interferometer will allow us to measure polar
Kerr angles and magnetoresistance on the surface of the samples, but not the bulk. Piezo strain probes
or other expanding electronic devices will be designed to allow investigation of the effects of strain on
the lattice structures on the materials. It is already know that strain can tune the curie temperature, that
can also be measured by the Sagnac [3]. We can have controls of the samples at decreasing
temperatures, increasing strains, thickness of samples, and different levels of doping monolayers.

Results Anticipated
The results will vary among the various samples and measurements. We will be find and tune the curie
temperatures, transition stages, conductivity, thermal transport, and various other properties of the
materials with the tools designed. The increasing strain should increase the band gaps of the materials
and lead to decreasing conductivity. The properties as a function of temperature may be more difficult
to predict as multiple curie temperatures and transition stages may arise during the measurements,
though modeling of the structures and band gaps through DFT calculations give some guideline.
References:
[1] D.J. Kim, J Xia, Z. Fisk, Topological surface state in the Kondo Insulator Samarium
Hexaboride, arXiv:1307.0448, (2013). Nature Materials, 13, 446-470, DOI 10.1038/nmat3913
(2014).
[2] D.J. Kim*, S. Thomas*, T. Grant, J. Botimer, Z. Fisk, Jing Xia, Robust Surface Hall Effect and
Nonlocal Transport in SmB6: Indication for an Ideal Topological Insulator, arXiv:1211.6769,
(2012). Nature: Scientific Reports 3, 3150 , DOI 10.1038/srep03150 (2013).
[3] Hovnatan Karapetyan, M. Hucker, G. D. Gu, J. M. Tranquada, M. M. Fejer, Jing Xia, A. Kapitulnik,
Magneto-Optical Measurements of a Cascade of Transitions in Superconducting
La1:875Ba0:125CuO4 Single Crystals, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 147001 (2012)