Experimental evidence of hidden topological surface states in PbBi4Te7.

A topological surface state that is protected physically under the Bi2Te3-like five-layer block has been revealed on the Pb-based topological insulator (TI) PbBi4Te7 by bulk sensitive angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). Furthermore, conservation of the spin polarization of the hidden topological surface states is directly confirmed by bulk-sensitive spin ARPES observation. This finding paves the way to realize the real spintronics devices by TIs that are operable in the real environment.