Electron spins in a topological insulator was observed for the first time

Researchers from Japan have succeeded in directly observing electron spins in a topological insulator (Bi2Te3). Topological insulator is a promising material for Spintronics because its "edge" can serve as a conducting path depending on the spin polarization.

The magnitude of the out-of-plane spin polarization is 25% at most compared to the in-plane counterpart. The researchers say that the out-of-plane spin polarization exists because of the hexagonally deformed Fermi surface in the Bi2Te3, because it does not exist in TlBiSe2 which has a circular Fermi surface.