Controlling the carriers of topological insulators by bulk and surface doping

We report a systematic study of bulk and surface chemical doping effects on single Dirac cone topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ and Bi₂Te₃. By bulk doping, we were able to achieve full range control of charge carrier types and concentration, with the exact Fermi energy measured by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Due to the unusual robustness of the topological surface state, we further realized the bi-polar control of the surface carriers by gaseous or alkaline surface doping without affecting the topological nature of these materials. The doping progress monitored by in situ ARPES study clearly demonstrated the switching between different carrier types through the Dirac point. The ability to control the carrier types and the concentration of topological insulators will greatly facilitate future applications.