Unusual Quadrupole NMR of Topological Insulator Bi2Te3

Very recently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of Bi-209 has been shown to provide quantitative access to the bulk band inversion in the topological insulator Bi2Se3 and detected a highly unusual field induced charge rotation that was found also in the closely related topological insulator Bi2Te3. These observations revealed special properties of the electronic fluid but also reshaped the comprehension of NMR in strongly spin-orbit coupled systems. Here, Bi-209 NMR of Bi2Te3 of two single crystals with different carrier concentrations is presented, which expands the experimental basis of the unusual charge rotation and the related nuclear spin-lattice relaxation mechanism.

Automated summary

This research demonstrates that Bi-209 nuclear magnetic resonance can be used to study the bulk band inversion and field-induced charge rotation in topological insulators, providing insights into the electronic properties of these materials.