Surface-State-Dominated Spin-Charge Current Conversion in Topological-Insulator–Ferromagnetic-Insulator Heterostructures

We report the observation of ferromagnetic resonance-driven spin pumping signals at room temperature in three-dimensional topological insulator thin films-Bi₂Se₃ and (Bi,Sb)₂Te₃-deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ thin films. By systematically varying the Bi₂Se₃ film thickness, we show that the spin-charge conversion efficiency, characterized by the inverse Rashba-Edelstein effect length (λIREE), increases dramatically as the film thickness is increased from two quintuple layers, saturating above six quintuple layers. This suggests a dominant role of surface states in spin and charge interconversion in topological-insulator-ferromagnet heterostructures. Our conclusion is further corroborated by studying a series of Y₃Fe₅O₁₂/(Bi,Sb)₂Te₃ heterostructures. Finally, we use the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth broadening and the inverse Rashba-Edelstein signals to determine the effective interfacial spin mixing conductance and λIREE.