Quantum transport in the surface states of epitaxial Bi(111) thin films

Although bulk Bi is a prototypical semimetal with a topologically trivial electronic band structure, we show by various quantum transport measurements that epitaxial Bi(111) thin films have unexpected and nontrivial properties. Not only the top and the bottom but also the side surfaces of epitaxial Bi(111) thin films are always robustly metallic while the interior has already become insulating. We identify the coupling between the top and the bottom surface states that drives the two originally independent surface conducting channels into a single connected one. The properties of Bi(111) thin films realized could lead to promising applications in spintronics.