  We have investigated spin-electricity conversion on surface states of
bulk-insulating topological insulator (TI) materials using a spin pumping
technique. The sample structure is Ni-Fe|Cu|TI trilayers, in which magnetic
proximity effects on the TI surfaces are negligibly small owing to the inserted
Cu layer. Voltage signals produced by the spin-electricity conversion are
clearly observed, and enhanced with decreasing temperature in line with the
dominated surface transport at lower temperatures. The efficiency of the
spin-electricity conversion is greater for TI samples with higher resistivity
of bulk states and longer mean free path of surface states, consistent with the
surface spin-electricity conversion.
