Spiral growth of topological insulator Sb2Te3 nanoplates

Sb2Te3 nanoplates synthesized by vapor phase deposition method have been systemically investigated employing atomic force microscopy, which exhibit regular spiral structures on the surface. The height of spiral steps is determined to be 1 nm corresponding to one quintuple layer, with an inter-step separation ranging from 500 nm to 1 mu m. Growth mechanism of spiral structures on the Sb2Te3 nanoplate surface is elucidated, which can be applied to other layered materials with van der Waals epitaxy growth. The electrostatic properties of Sb2Te3 nanoplates with spiral structures are also simultaneously characterized. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4773587]