Bending strain in 3D topological semi-metals
ResearchScience
We present an experimental set-up for the controlled application of strain gradients by mechanical piezoactuation on 3D crystalline microcantilevers that were fabricated by focused ion beam machining. A simple sample design tailored for transport characterization under strain at cryogenic temperatures is proposed. The topological semi-metal Cd3As2 serves as a test bed for the method, and we report extreme strain gradients of up to 1.3% μm-1 at a surface strain value of ~0.65% at 4 K. Interestingly, the unchanged quantum transport of the cantilever suggests that the bending cycle does not induce defects via plastic deformation. This approach is a first step towards realizing transport phenomena based on structural gradients, such as artificial gauge fields in topological materials.
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QMAT Publications
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.55 084001
16 November 2021
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/ac357f