Ultrahigh Sensitivity of Anomalous Hall Effect Sensor Based on Cr-Doped Bi2Te3 Topological Insulator Thin Films

Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) was recently discovered in magnetic element-doped topological insulators (TIs), which promises low power consumption and high efficiency spintronics and electronics. This discovery broadens the family of Hall sensors. In this paper, AHE sensors based on Cr-doped Bi2Te3 topological insulator thin films are studied with two thicknesses (15 and 65 nm). It is found, in both cases, that ultrahigh Hall sensitivity can be obtained in Cr-doped Bi2Te3. Hall sensitivity reaches 1666 Omega/T in the sensor with the 15 nm TI thin film, which is higher than that of the conventional semiconductor HE sensor. The AHE of 65 nm sensors is even stronger, which causes the sensitivity increasing to 2620 Omega/T. Furthermore, after comparing Cr-doped Bi2Te3 with the previously studied Mn-doped Bi2Te3 TI Hall sensor, the sensitivity of the present AHE sensor shows about 60 times higher in 65 nm sensors. The implementation of AHE sensors based on a magnetic-doped TI thin film indicates that the TIs are good candidates for ultrasensitive AHE sensors.