Surface-energy engineered Bi-doped SnTe nanoribbons with weak antilocalization effect and linear magnetoresistance.

The rational design of semiconductor nanocrystals with well-defined surfaces is a crucial step towards the realization of next-generation photodetectors, and thermoelectric and spintronic devices. SnTe nano-crystals, as an example, are particularly attractive as a type of topological crystalline insulator, where surface facets determine their surface states. However, most of the available SnTe nanocrystals are dominated by thermodynamically stable {100} facets, and it is challenging to grow uniform nanocrystals with {111} facets. In this study, guided by surface-energy calculations, we employ a chemical vapour deposition approach to fabricate Bi doped SnTe nanostructures, in which their surface facets are tuned by Bi doping. The obtained Bi doped SnTe nanoribbons with distinct {111} surfaces show a weak antilocalization effect and linear magnetoresistance under high magnetic fields, which demonstrate their great potential for future spintronic applications.