Direct observation of a gap opening in topological interface states of MnSe/Bi2Se3 heterostructure

High-quality MnSe(111) film was bilayer-by-bilayer grown epitaxially onto the Bi2Se3(111) surface using molecular beam epitaxy. Reversal scenario with quintuple layer-by-layer growth of Bi2Se3 onto the MnSe film was also realized. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of Bi2Se3 capped with two bi-layers of MnSe revealed that an energy gap of about 90 meV appears at the Dirac point of the original Bi2Se3 surface, possibly due to breaking the time-reversal symmetry on the Bi2Se3 surface by magnetic proximity effect from MnSe.