Controlling many-body states by the electric-field effect in a two-dimensional material

Light Controllable Electronic Phase Transition in Ionic Liquid Gated Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Ionic liquid gating has proved to be effective in inducing emergent quantum phenomena such as superconductivity, ferromagnetism, and topological states. The electrostatic doping at two-dimensional interfaces relies on ionic motion, which thus is operated at sufficiently high temperature. Here, we report the in situ tuning of quantum phases by shining light on an ionic liquid-gated interface at cryogenic temperatures. The light illumination enables flexible switching of the quantum transition in monolayer WS₂ from an insulator to a superconductor. In contrast to the prevailing picture of photoinduced carriers, we find that in the presence of a strong interfacial electric field conducting electrons could escape from the surface confinement by absorbing photons, mimicking the field emission. Such an optical tuning tool in conjunction with ionic liquid gating greatly facilitates continuous modulation of carrier densities and hence electronic phases, which would help to unveil novel quantum phenomena and device functionality in various materials.

Hexagonal metal oxide monolayers derived from the metal-gas interface

Two-dimensional (2D) crystals are promising materials for developing future nano-enabled technologies^1-6. The cleavage of weak, interlayer van der Waals bonds in layered bulk crystals enables the production of high-quality 2D, atomically thin monolayers^7-10. Nonetheless, as earth-abundant compounds, metal oxides are rarely accessible as pure and fully stoichiometric monolayers owing to their ion-stabilized 'lamellar' bulk structure^11-14. Here, we report the discovery of a layered planar hexagonal phase of oxides from elements across the transition metals, post-transition metals, lanthanides and metalloids, derived from strictly controlled oxidation at the metal-gas interface. The highly crystalline monolayers, without the support of ionic dopants or vacancies, can easily be mechanically exfoliated by stamping them onto substrates. Monolayer and few-layered hexagonal TiO₂ are characterized as examples, showing p-type semiconducting properties with hole mobilities of up to 950 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at room temperature. The strategy can be readily extended to a variety of elements, possibly expanding the exploration of metal oxides in the 2D quantum regime.

Electrostatically Tunable Near-Infrared Plasmonic Resonances in Solution-Processed Atomically Thin NbSe2

In the broad spectral range, near-infrared (NIR) plasmonics find applications in telecommunication, energy harvesting, sensing, and more, all of which would benefit from an electrostatically controllable NIR plasmon source. However, it is difficult to control bulk NIR plasmonics directly with electrostatics because of the strong electric-field screening effect and high carrier concentration required to support NIR plasmons. Here, this constraint is overcome and the observation of NIR plasmonic resonances that can be modulated electrostatically over a range of ≈360 cm^-1 in few-layer NbSe₂ gratings is reported, thanks to the enhanced electrostatics of atomically thin 2D materials and the high-quality film produced by a solution method. NbSe₂ plasmons also render strong field confinement due to their atomic thickness and provide an extra degree of resonance frequency modulation from the layered structure. This study identifies metallic 2D materials as promising (easily produced and well-performing) candidates to extend electrostatically tunable plasmonics to the technologically important NIR range.

Finite-Frequency Dissipation in Two-Dimensional Superconductors with Disorder at the Nanoscale

Two-dimensional superconductors with disorder at the nanoscale can host a variety of intriguing phenomena. The superconducting transition is marked by a broad percolative transition with a long tail of the resistivity as function of the temperature. The fragile filamentary superconducting clusters, forming at low temperature, can be strengthened further by proximity effect with the surrounding metallic background, leading to an enhancement of the superfluid stiffness well below the percolative transition. Finite-frequency dissipation effects, e.g., related to the appearance of thermally excited vortices, can also significantly contribute to the resulting physics. Here, we propose a random impedance model to investigate the role of dissipation effects in the formation and strengthening of fragile superconducting clusters, discussing the solution within the effective medium theory.

Retainable Superconductivity and Structural Transition in 1T-TaSe2 Under High Pressure

As a prominent platform possessing the properties of superconductivity (SC) and charge density wave (CDW), transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted considerable attention for a long time. Moreover, extensive efforts have been devoted for exploring the SC and/or the interplay between SC and CDW in TMDCs in the past few decades. Here, we systematically investigate the electronic properties and structural evolution of 1T-TaSe₂ under pressure. With increasing pressure, pressure-induced superconductivity is observed at ∼2.6 GPa. The superconductive transition temperature (T_c) increases with the suppression of the CDW state to the maximum value of ∼5.1 K at 21.8 GPa and then decreases monotonously up to the highest pressure of 57.8 GPa. 1T-TaSe₂ transforms into a monoclinic C2/m structure above 19 GPa. The monoclinic phase coexists with the original phase as the pressure is released under ambient conditions and the retainable superconductivity with T_c = 2.9 K is observed in the released sample. We suggest that the retained superconductivity can be ascribed to the retention of the superconductive high-pressure monoclinic phase in the released sample. Our findings demonstrate that both the structure and CDW order are related to the superconductivity of TaSe₂.

Enhanced photocurrent response speed in charge-density-wave phase of TiSe2-metal junctions

Group IVB transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted significant attention due to their predicted high charge carrier mobility, large sheet current density, and enhanced thermoelectric power. Here, we investigate the electrical and optoelectronic properties of few-layer titanium diselenide (TiSe2)-metal junctions through spatial-, wavelength-, temperature-, power- and temporal-dependent scanning photocurrent measurements. Strong photocurrent responses have been detected at TiSe2-metal junctions, which is likely attributed to both photovoltaic and photothermoelectric effects. A fast response time of 31 μs has been achieved, which is two orders of magnitude better than HfSe2 based devices. More importantly, our experimental results reveal a significant enhancement in the response speed upon cooling to the charge-density-wave (CDW) phase transition temperature (TCDW = 206 K), which may result from dramatic reduction in carrier scattering that occurs as a result of the switching between the normal and CDW phases of TiSe2. Additionally, the photoresponsivity at 145 K is up to an order of magnitude higher than that obtained at room temperature. These fundamental studies not only offer insight for the photocurrent generation mechanisms of group IVB TMDC materials, but also provide a route to engineering future temperature-dependent, two-dimensional, fast electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Optical manipulation of electronic dimensionality in a quantum material

Exotic phenomena can be achieved in quantum materials by confining electronic states into two dimensions. For example, relativistic fermions are realized in a single layer of carbon atoms¹, the quantized Hall effect can result from two-dimensional (2D) systems^2,3, and the superconducting transition temperature can be considerably increased in a one-atomic-layer material^4,5. Ordinarily, a 2D electronic system can be obtained by exfoliating the layered materials, growing monolayer materials on substrates, or establishing interfaces between different materials. Here we use femtosecond infrared laser pulses to invert the periodic lattice distortion sectionally in a three-dimensional (3D) charge density wave material (1T-TiSe₂), creating macroscopic domain walls of transient 2D ordered electronic states with unusual properties. The corresponding ultrafast electronic and lattice dynamics are captured by time-resolved and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy⁶ and ultrafast electron diffraction at energies of the order of megaelectronvolts⁷. Moreover, in the photoinduced 2D domain wall near the surface we identify a phase with enhanced density of states and signatures of potential opening of an energy gap near the Fermi energy. Such optical modulation of atomic motion is an alternative path towards realizing 2D electronic states and will be a useful platform upon which novel phases in quantum materials may be discovered.

Ultrasensitive Calorimetric Measurements of the Electronic Heat Capacity of Graphene

Heat capacity is an invaluable quantity in condensed matter physics and yet has been completely inaccessible in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials, owing to their ultrafast thermal relaxation times and the lack of suitable nanoscale thermometers. Here, we demonstrate a novel thermal relaxation calorimetry scheme that allows the first measurements of the electronic heat capacity of graphene. It is enabled by combining a radio frequency Johnson noise thermometer, which can measure the electronic temperature with a sensitivity of ∼20 mK/Hz^1/2, and a photomixed optical heater that modulates T_e with a frequency of up to Ω = 0.2 THz. This allows record sensitive measurements of the electronic heat capacity C_e < 10 ^-19 J/K and the fastest measurement of electronic thermal relaxation time τ_e < 10 ^-12 s yet achieved by a calorimeter. These features advance heat capacity metrology into the realm of nanoscale and low-dimensional systems and provide an avenue for the investigation of their thermodynamic quantities.

Charge order textures induced by non-linear couplings in a half-doped manganite

The self-organization of strongly interacting electrons into superlattice structures underlies the properties of many quantum materials. How these electrons arrange within the superlattice dictates what symmetries are broken and what ground states are stabilized. Here we show that cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy (cryo-STEM) enables direct mapping of local symmetries and order at the intra-unit-cell level in the model charge-ordered system Nd_1/2Sr_1/2MnO₃. In addition to imaging the prototypical site-centered charge order, we discover the nanoscale coexistence of an exotic intermediate state which mixes site and bond order and breaks inversion symmetry. We further show that nonlinear coupling of distinct lattice modes controls the selection between competing ground states. The results demonstrate the importance of lattice coupling for understanding and manipulating the character of electronic self-organization and that cryo-STEM can reveal local order in strongly correlated systems at the atomic scale.

In this paper, the authors demonstrate that cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy allows for the direct mapping of the local arrangements and symmetries of electronic order, providing a useful method for studying strongly correlated systems. They show this using the example of Nd1/2Sr1/2MnO3, a model charge ordered material.

Ionic gating in metallic superconductors: A brief review

Ionic gating is a very popular tool to investigate and control the electric charge transport and electronic ground state in a wide variety of different materials. This is due to its capability to induce large modulations of the surface charge density by means of the electric-double-layer field-effect transistor (EDL-FET) architecture, and has been proven to be capable of tuning even the properties of metallic systems. In this short review, I summarize the main results which have been achieved so far in controlling the superconducting (SC) properties of thin films of conventional metallic superconductors by means of the ionic gating technique. I discuss how the gate-induced charge doping, despite being confined to a thin surface layer by electrostatic screening, results in a long-range ‘bulk’ modulation of the SC properties by the coherent nature of the SC condensate, as evidenced by the observation of suppressions in the critical temperature of films much thicker than the electrostatic screening length, and by the pronounced thickness-dependence of their magnitude. I review how this behavior can be modelled in terms of proximity effect between the charge-doped surface layer and the unperturbed bulk with different degrees of approximation, and how first-principles calculations have been employed to determine the origin of an anomalous increase in the electrostatic screening length at ultrahigh electric fields, thus fully confirming the validity of the proximity effect model. Finally, I discuss a general framework—based on the combination of ab-initio Density Functional Theory and the Migdal-Eliashberg theory of superconductivity—by which the properties of any gated thin film of a conventional metallic superconductor can be determined purely from first principles.

Non-Fermi Liquids in Conducting Two-Dimensional Networks

We explore the physics of novel fermion liquids emerging from conducting networks, where 1D metallic wires form a periodic 2D superstructure. Such structure naturally appears in marginally twisted bilayer graphenes, moire transition metal dichalcogenides, and also in some charge-density wave materials. For these network systems, we theoretically show that a remarkably wide variety of new non-Fermi liquids emerge and that these non-Fermi liquids can be classified by the characteristics of the junctions in networks. Using this, we calculate the electric conductivity of the non-Fermi liquids as a function of temperature, which show markedly different scaling behaviors than a regular 2D Fermi liquid.

Recent Advances in 2D Superconductors

The emergence of superconductivity in 2D materials has attracted much attention and there has been rapid development in recent years because of their fruitful physical properties, such as high transition temperature (T_c ), continuous phase transition, and enhanced parallel critical magnetic field (B_c ). Tremendous efforts have been devoted to exploring different physical parameters to figure out the mechanisms behind the unexpected superconductivity phenomena, including adjusting the thickness of samples, fabricating various heterostructures, tuning the carrier density by electric field and chemical doping, and so on. Here, different types of 2D superconductivity with their unique characteristics are introduced, including the conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superconductivity in ultrathin films, high-T_c superconductivity in Fe-based and Cu-based 2D superconductors, unconventional superconductivity in newly discovered twist-angle bilayer graphene, superconductivity with enhanced B_c , and topological superconductivity. A perspective toward this field is then proposed based on academic knowledge from the recently reported literature. The aim is to provide researchers with a clear and comprehensive understanding about the newly developed 2D superconductivity and promote the development of this field much further.

Prediction of Phonon-Mediated Superconductivity with High Critical Temperature in the Two-Dimensional Topological Semimetal W2N3

Two-dimensional superconductors attract great interest both for their fundamental physics and for their potential applications, especially in the rapidly growing field of quantum computing. Despite intense theoretical and experimental efforts, materials with a reasonably high transition temperature are still rare. Even more rare are those that combine superconductivity with a nontrivial band topology that could potentially give rise to exotic states of matter. Here, we predict a remarkably high superconducting critical temperature of 21 K in the easily exfoliable, topologically nontrivial 2D semimetal W₂N₃. By studying its electronic and superconducting properties as a function of doping and strain, we also find large changes in the electron-phonon interactions that make this material a unique platform to study different coupling regimes and test the limits of current theories of superconductivity. Last, we discuss the possibility of tuning the material to achieve coexistence of superconductivity and topologically nontrivial edge states.

Diffusivity Reveals Three Distinct Phases of Interlayer Excitons in MoSe_{2}/WSe_{2} Heterobilayers

Charge separated interlayer excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide heterobilayers are being explored for moiré exciton lattices and exciton condensates. The presence of permanent dipole moments and the poorly screened Coulomb interaction make many-body interactions particularly strong for interlayer excitons. Here we reveal two distinct phase transitions for interlayer excitons in the MoSe_{2}/WSe_{2} heterobilayer using time and spatially resolved photoluminescence imaging: from trapped excitons in the moiré potential to the modestly mobile exciton gas as exciton density increases to n_{ex}∼10^{11}  cm^{-2} and from the exciton gas to the highly mobile charge separated electron-hole plasma for n_{ex}>10^{12}  cm^{-2}. The latter is the Mott transition and is confirmed in photoconductivity measurements. These findings set fundamental limits for achieving quantum states of interlayer excitons.

Angle, Spin, and Depth Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy on Quantum Materials

The role of X-ray based electron spectroscopies in determining chemical, electronic, and magnetic properties of solids has been well-known for several decades. A powerful approach is angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, whereby the kinetic energy and angle of photoelectrons emitted from a sample surface are measured. This provides a direct measurement of the electronic band structure of crystalline solids. Moreover, it yields powerful insights into the electronic interactions at play within a material and into the control of spin, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom, central pillars of future solid state science. With strong recent focus on research of lower-dimensional materials and modified electronic behavior at surfaces and interfaces, angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has become a core technique in the study of quantum materials. In this review, we provide an introduction to the technique. Through examples from several topical materials systems, including topological insulators, transition metal dichalcogenides, and transition metal oxides, we highlight the types of information which can be obtained. We show how the combination of angle, spin, time, and depth-resolved experiments are able to reveal "hidden" spectral features, connected to semiconducting, metallic and magnetic properties of solids, as well as underlining the importance of dimensional effects in quantum materials.

Surface/Interface Chemistry Engineering of Correlated-Electron Materials: From Conducting Solids, Phase Transitions to External-Field Response

Correlated electronic materials (CEMs) with strong electron-electron interactions are often associated with exotic properties, such as metal-insulator transition (MIT), charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity, and magnetoresistance (MR), which are fundamental to next generation condensed matter research and electronic devices. When the dimension of CEMs decreases, exposing extremely high specific surface area and enhancing electronic correlation, the surface states are equally important to the bulk phase. Therefore, surface/interface chemical interactions provide an alternative route to regulate the intrinsic properties of low-dimensional CEMs. Here, recent achievements in surface/interface chemistry engineering of low-dimensional CEMs are reviewed, using surface modification, molecule-solid interaction, and interface electronic coupling, toward modulation of conducting solids, phase transitions including MIT, CDW, superconductivity, and magnetism transition, as well as external-field response. Surface/interface chemistry engineering provides a promising strategy for exploring novel properties and functional applications in low-dimensional CEMs. Finally, the current challenge and outlook of the surface/interface engineering are also pointed out for future research development.

Soft-Mode-Phonon-Mediated Unconventional Superconductivity in Monolayer 1T^{'}-WTe_{2}

Recent experiments have tuned the monolayer 1T^{'}-WTe_{2} to be superconducting by electrostatic gating. Here, we theoretically study the phonon-mediated superconductivity in monolayer 1T^{'}-WTe_{2} via charge doping. We reveal that the emergence of soft-mode phonons with specific momentum is crucial to give rise to the superconductivity in the electron-doping regime, whereas no such soft-mode phonons and no superconductivity emerge in the hole-doping regime. We also find a superconducting dome, which can be attributed to the change of Fermi surface nesting conditions with electron doping. By taking into account the experimentally established strong anisotropy of temperature-dependent upper critical field H_{c2} between the in-plane and out-of-plane directions, we show that the superconducting state probably has the unconventional equal-spin-triplet pairing in the A_{u} channel of the C_{2h} point group. Our studies provide a promising understanding to the doping dependent superconductivity and strong anisotropy of H_{c2} in monolayer 1T^{'}-WTe_{2}, and can be extended to understand the superconductivity in other gated transition metal dichalcogenides.

Little–Parks effect governed by magnetic nanostructures with out-of-plane magnetization

Little–Parks effect names the oscillations in the superconducting critical temperature as a function of the magnetic field. This effect is related to the geometry of the sample. In this work, we show that this effect can be enhanced and manipulated by the inclusion of magnetic nanostructures with perpendicular magnetization. These magnetic nanodots generate stray fields with enough strength to produce superconducting vortex–antivortex pairs. So that, the L–P effect deviation from the usual geometrical constrictions is due to the interplay between local magnetic stray fields and superconducting vortices. Moreover, we compare our results with a low-stray field sample (i.e. with the dots in magnetic vortex state) showing how the enhancement of the L–P effect can be explained by an increment of the effective size of the nanodots.

Emerging Magnetic Interactions in van der Waals Heterostructures

Vertical van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures based on layered materials are attracting interest as a new class of quantum materials, where interfacial charge-transfer coupling can give rise to fascinating strongly correlated phenomena. Transition metal chalcogenides are a particularly exciting material family, including ferromagnetic semiconductors, multiferroics, and superconductors. Here, we report the growth of an organic-inorganic heterostructure by intercalating molecular electron donating bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene into (Li,Fe)OHFeSe, a layered material in which the superconducting ground state results from the intercalation of hydroxide layer. Molecular intercalation in this heterostructure induces a transformation from a paramagnetic to spin-glass-like state that is sensitive to the stoichiometry of molecular donor and an applied magnetic field. Besides, electron-donating molecules reduce the electrical resistivity in the heterostructure and modify its response to laser illumination. This hybrid heterostructure provides a promising platform to study emerging magnetic and electronic behaviors in strongly correlated layered materials.

Magnetism arising from Mexican-hat-like band dispersion in the WSe2/SnS2 heterostructure via interlayer strain

Mexican-hat-like band dispersion is extremely critical to the realization of hole-doping-induced magnetism in monolayer metal monochalcogenides. However, it is absent from transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), i.e., WSe2. Herein, using first-principles calculations, we show that Mexican-hat-like band dispersion can be achieved by applying interlayer strain (ε) in the WSe2/SnS2 van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure when ε exceeds 15%. This is because in the strain-induced distorted trigonal prismatic crystal field, at the valence band edge, the W_dz2 orbitals shift upward around the Γ point, while the double-degenerate W_dxy/dx2-y2 orbitals shift downward at the K point, resulting in Mexican-hat-like band dispersion near the Γ point when the energy level of the Γ point surpasses that of the K point. On account of the appearance of the Mexican-hat-like band edge (MHBE), hole-doping in the strained WSe2/SnS2 heterostructure induces magnetization readily from the nonmagnetized phase. Our findings may provide a new strategy for the realization of magnetized TMDC-based vdW heterostructures.

Magnetic critical behavior of the van der Waals Fe5GeTe2 crystal with near room temperature ferromagnetism

The van der Waals ferromagnet Fe₅GeTe₂ has a Curie temperature T_C of about 270 K, which is tunable through controlling the Fe deficiency content and can even reach above room temperature. To achieve insights into its ferromagnetic exchange that gives the high T_C, the critical behavior has been investigated by measuring the magnetization in Fe₅GeTe₂ crystal around the ferromagnetic ordering temperature. The analysis of the measured magnetization by using various techniques harmonically reached to a set of reliable critical exponents with T_C = 273.7 K, β = 0.3457 ± 0.001, γ = 1.40617 ± 0.003, and δ = 5.021 ± 0.001. By comparing these critical exponents with those predicted by various models, it seems that the magnetic properties of Fe₅GeTe₂ could be interpreted by a three-dimensional magnetic exchange with the exchange distance decaying as J(r) ≈ r^−4.916, close to that of a three-dimensional Heisenberg model with long-range magnetic coupling.

Investigating the Formation of MoSe2 and TiSe2 Films from Artificially Layered Precursors

The reaction of ultrathin layers of Mo and Ti with Se was investigated, and significantly different reaction pathways were found. However, in both systems postdeposition annealing results in smooth dichalcogenide films with specific thicknesses determined by the precursor. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of as-deposited Mo|Se films around a 1:2 ratio of Mo to Se contain weak, broad reflections from small and isolated MoSe₂ crystallites that nucleated during deposition and a sharper intensity maximum resulting from the composition modulation created from the alternating deposition of Mo and Se layers. In contrast, as-deposited Ti|Se films around a 1:2 ratio of Ti to Se contain narrow and intense 00l reflections from TiSe₂ crystallites and do not contain a Bragg reflection from the sequence of deposited Ti|Se layers. The as-deposited TiSe₂ crystallites have a larger c-axis lattice parameter than was previously reported for TiSe₂, however, which suggests a poor vertical interlayer registry and/or high defect densities including interstitial atoms. In-plane XRD patterns show the nucleation of both TiSe₂ and Ti₂Se during deposition, with the Ti₂Se at the substrate. For both systems, annealing the precursors decreases the peak width and increases the intensity of reflections from crystalline TiSe₂ and MoSe₂. Optimized films consist of a single phase after the annealing and show clear Laue oscillations in the specular XRD patterns, which can only occur if a majority of the diffracting crystallites in the film consist of the same number of unit cells. The highest quality films was obtained when an excess of ∼10% Se was deposited in the precursor, which presumably acts as a flux to facilitate diffusion of metal atoms to crystallite growth fronts and compensates for Se loss to the open system during annealing.

Inversion-Protected Higher-Order Topological Superconductivity in Monolayer WTe_{2}

Monolayer WTe_{2}, a centrosymmetric transition metal dichacogenide, has recently been established as a quantum spin Hall insulator and found superconducting upon gating. Here we study the pairing symmetry and topological nature of superconducting WTe_{2} with a microscopic model at mean-field level. Surprisingly, we find that the spin-triplet phases in our phase diagram all host Majorana modes localized on two opposite corners. Even when the conventional pairing is favored, we find that an intermediate in-plane magnetic field exceeding the Pauli limit stabilizes an unconventional equal-spin pairing aligning with the field, which also hosts Majorana corner modes. Motivated by our findings, we obtain a recipe for two-dimensional superconductors featuring "higher-order topology" from the boundary perspective. Generally, a superconducting inversion-symmetric quantum spin Hall material whose normal-state Fermi surface is away from high-symmetry points, such as gated monolayer WTe_{2}, hosts Majorana corner modes if the superconductivity is parity-odd. We further point out that this higher-order phase is an inversion-protected topological crystalline superconductor and study the bulk-boundary correspondence. Finally, we discuss possible experiments for probing the Majorana corner modes. Our findings suggest superconducting monolayer WTe_{2} is a playground for higher-order topological superconductivity and possibly the first material realization for inversion-protected Majorana corner modes without utilizing proximity effect.

First-principles exploration of superconductivity in MXenes

MXenes are an emerging class of two-dimensional materials, which in their thinnest limit consist of a monolayer of carbon or nitrogen (X) sandwiched between two transition metal (M) layers. We have systematically searched for superconductivity among MXenes for a range of transition metal elements, based on a full first-principles characterization in combination with the Eliashberg formalism. Thus, we identified six superconducting MXenes: three carbides (Mo2C, W2C and Sc2C) and three nitrides (Mo2N, W2N and Ta2N). The highest critical temperature of ∼16 K is found in Mo2N, for which a successful synthesis method has been established [Urbankowski et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 17722-17730]. Moreover, W2N presents a novel case of competing superconducting and charge density wave phases.

Two-Dimensional Molecular Charge Density Waves in Single-Layer-Thick Islands of a Dirac Fermion System

Charge density waves have been intensely studied in inorganic materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides; however their counterpart in organic materials has yet to be explored in detail. Here we report the finding of robust two-dimensional charge density waves in molecular layers formed by α-(BEDT-TTF)₂-I₃ on a Ag(111) surface. Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy images of a multilayer thick α-(BEDT-TTF)₂-I₃ on a Ag(111) substrate reveal the coexistence of 5a₀ × 5a₀ and 31a0×31a0 R9° charge density wave patterns commensurate with the underlying molecular lattice at 80 K. Both charge density wave patterns remain in nanosize molecular islands with just a single constituent molecular-layer thickness at 80 and 5 K. Local tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal the variation of the gap from 244 to 288 meV between the maximum and minimum charge density wave locations. Density functional theory calculations further confirm a vertical positioning of BEDT-TTF molecules in the molecular layer. While the observed charge density wave patterns are stable for the defect sites, they can be reversibly switched for one molecular lattice site by means of inelastic tunneling electron energy transfer with the electron energies exceeding 400 meV using a scanning tunneling microscope manipulation scheme.

Superconductivity related to the suppression of exciton formation in 1T-TiSe2

In strongly correlated electron system, the impact of elementary substitution or intercalation plays a crucial role in determining electronic ground state among various macroscopic quantum phases such as charge order and superconductivity. Here, we report that simultaneous Cu intercalation and Ta substitution at Ti site in 1T-CuxTi0.8Ta0.2Se2induce an intrinsic electronic phase diagram, characterized by an inherent superconducting transition in thexregion of 0 ⩽x⩽ 0.12, with a maximum superconducting transition temperatureTcof 2.5 K forx= 0.04, in contrast to the non-superconducting sample 1T-Cu0.04TiSe2. The increased density of free charge carriers screen the Coulomb interaction between electron-hole pairs effectively, promoting the occurrence of superconductivity favourably. Present results suggest that the Cu intercalation and the Ta substitution-induced suppression of the exciton condensation boost the superconductivity, shedding new light on the fundamental physics of the interplay between superconductivity, charge order, and electron correlation.

Anharmonicity and Doping Melt the Charge Density Wave in Single-Layer TiSe2

Low-dimensional systems with a vanishing band gap and a large electron-hole interaction have been proposed to be unstable toward exciton formation. As the exciton binding energy increases in low dimension, conventional wisdom suggests that excitonic insulators should be more stable in 2D than in 3D. Here we study the effects of the electron-hole interaction and anharmonicity in single-layer TiSe₂. We find that, contrary to the bulk case and to the generally accepted picture, in single-layer TiSe₂, the electron-hole exchange interaction is much smaller in 2D than in 3D and it has weak effects on phonon spectra. By calculating anharmonic phonon spectra within the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation, we obtain T_CDW ≈ 440 K for an isolated and undoped single layer and T_CDW ≈ 364 K for an electron-doping n = 4.6 × 10¹³ cm^-2, close to the experimental result of 200-280 K on supported samples. Our work demonstrates that anharmonicity and doping melt the charge density wave in single-layer TiSe₂.

Reversible Superconductor-Insulator Transition in (Li, Fe)OHFeSe Flakes Visualized by Gate-Tunable Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy

Electric field control of charge carrier density provides a key in situ technology to continuously tune the ground states and map out the phase diagram of correlated electron systems in one device. This technique is highly expected to be combined with the modern state-of-the art spectroscopic probes, such as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S), to efficiently address these states and the underlying physics. However, it is extremely difficult and not successful so far, mainly because the fabrication process of such devices makes them prohibitive for surface probes. Here, by using a solid Li-ion conductor (SIC) as gate dielectric, we have successfully developed gate-tunable STM/S and visualized the superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) in a thin flake of single crystal (Li, Fe)OHFeSe at the nanoscale. The gate-controlled Li-ion injection first enhances the superconductivity and then drives the flake into an inhomogeneous insulating state, where superconductivity is totally suppressed. This process can be reversed by applying an opposite gate voltage. Importantly, the atomically resolved images allow us to identify the critical role that the injected Li ions play in the tuning process. Our results not only provide clear evidence of the microscopic mechanism of the tunable superconductivity and SIT in the SIC-based (Li, Fe)OHFeSe devices, but also establish SIC-gating STM as a powerful tool for investigating the complicated phase diagram of correlated electron system spectroscopically in a single sample with the field-effect approach.

Room temperature ferromagnetism in D-D neutron irradiated rutile TiO2 single crystals

Room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) was observed in unirradiated rutile TiO2 single crystals prepared by the floating zone method due to oxygen vacancy (VO) defects. D-D neutrons mainly collide elastically with TiO2, producing VO, titanium vacancies (VTi) and other point defects; the density and kind of defect is related to the neutron irradiation fluence. D-D neutron irradiation is used to regulate the concentration and type of defect, avoiding impurity elements. As the irradiation fluence increases, the saturation magnetization (Ms) first increases, then decreases and then increases. To verify the origin of RTFM, the CASTEP module was used to calculate the magnetic and structural properties of point defects in TiO2. VO induces a 2.39 μ B magnetic moment, Ti3+ and F+ induce 1.28 μ B and 1.70 μ B magnetic moments, respectively, while VTi induces a magnetic moment of ∼4 μ B. Combining experimental and theoretical results, increases in VO concentration lead to Ms increases; more VO combine with electrons to form F+, inducing a smaller magnetic moment. VO and VTi play a key role and Ms changes accordingly with larger fluence. VO, F+ and VTi are the most likely origins of RTFM.

Stable Flatbands, Topology, and Superconductivity of Magic Honeycomb Networks

We propose a new principle to realize flatbands which are robust in real materials, based on a network superstructure of one-dimensional segments. This mechanism is naturally realized in the nearly commensurate charge-density wave of 1T-TaS_{2} with the honeycomb network of conducting domain walls, and the resulting flatband can naturally explain the enhanced superconductivity. We also show that corner states, which are a hallmark of the higher-order topological insulators, appear in the network superstructure.

Surface group-modified MXene nano-flake doping of monolayer tungsten disulfides

Exciton/trion-involved optoelectronic properties have attracted exponential amount of attention for various applications ranging from optoelectronics, valleytronics to electronics. Herein, we report a new chemical (MXene) doping strategy to modulate the negative trion and neutral exciton for achieving high photoluminescence yield of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides, enabled by the regulation of carrier densities to promote electron-bound trion-to-exciton transition via charge transfer from TMDCs to MXene. As a proof of concept, the MXene nano-flake-doped tungsten disulfide is demonstrated to obtain an enhanced PL efficiency of up to ∼five folds, which obviously exceeds the reported efficiency upon electrical and/or plasma doping strategies. The PL enhancement degree can also be modulated by tuning the corresponding surface functional groups of MXene nano-flakes, reflecting that the electron-withdrawing functional groups play a vital role in this charge transfer process. These findings offer promising clues to control the optoelectronic properties of TMDCs and expand the scope of the application of MXene nano-flakes, suggesting a possibility to construct a new heterostructure junction based on MXenes and TMDCs.

Ultrafast and large optical nonlinearity of a TiSe2 saturable absorber in the 2 μm wavelength region

The non-equilibrium state of correlated electron materials is crucial for both scientific research and practical applications in optoelectronic and photonic devices. Because of the weak optical nonlinearity of most materials even under a dense optical excitation, it is desirable to achieve a significant nonlinear optical response with ultrafast and large optical nonlinearity utilizing a common material. Here, an ultrafast response and large optical nonlinearity induced by non-equilibrium electrons in typical transition metal dichalcogenides, TiSe2, are investigated in the 1.55-2.0 μm wavelength region. Significantly, we observe an ultrafast transient dynamics of 491 femtoseconds as well as a large optical nonlinearity with a saturable coefficient of -0.17 cm GW-1 (1.55 μm) and -0.10 cm GW-1 (2.0 μm). Upon increasing pump fluence, TiSe2 exhibits an enhanced bleaching response amplitude up to 563%. Furthermore, a stable Q-switched fiber laser in the 2.0 μm wavelength region is achieved by employing the TiSe2-saturable absorber. The findings offer the potential design to enhance the optical nonlinearity via non-equilibrium electrons for advanced photonic devices.

Chemical Vapor Transport Reactions for Synthesizing Layered Materials and Their 2D Counterparts

2D materials, namely thin layers of layered materials, are attracting much attention because of their unique electronic, optical, thermal, and catalytic properties for wide applications. To advance both the fundamental studies and further practical applications, the scalable and controlled synthesis of large-sized 2D materials is desired, while there still lacks ideal approaches. Alternatively, the chemical vapor transport reaction is an old but powerful technique, and is recently adopted for synthesizing 2D materials, producing bulk crystals of layered materials or corresponding 2D films. Herein, recent advancements in synthesizing both bulk layered and 2D materials by chemical vapor transport reactions are summarized. Beginning with a brief introduction of the fundamentals of chemical vapor transport reactions, chemical vapor transport-based syntheses of bulk layered and 2D materials, mainly exampled by transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus, are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to important factors that can influence the reactions and the growth mechanisms of black phosphorus. Finally, perspectives about the chemical vapor transport-based synthesis of 2D materials are discussed, intending to redraw attentions on chemical vapor transport reactions.

Recent Progress in CVD Growth of 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides and Related Heterostructures

In recent years, 2D layered materials have received considerable research interest on account of their substantial material systems and unique physicochemical properties. Among them, 2D layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), a star family member, have already been explored over the last few years and have exhibited excellent performance in electronics, catalysis, and other related fields. However, to fulfill the requirement for practical application, the batch production of 2D TMDs is essential. Recently, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique was considered as an elegant alternative for successfully growing 2D TMDs and their heterostructures. The latest research advances in the controllable synthesis of 2D TMDs and related heterostructures/superlattices via the CVD approach are illustrated here. The controlled growth behavior, preparation strategies, and breakthroughs on the synthesis of new 2D TMDs and their heterostructures, as well as their unique physical phenomena, are also discussed. Recent progress on the application of CVD-grown 2D materials is revealed with particular attention to electronics/optoelectronic devices and catalysts. Finally, the challenges and future prospects are considered regarding the current development of 2D TMDs and related heterostructures.

Emergent honeycomb network of topological excitations in correlated charge density wave

When two periodic potentials compete in materials, one may adopt the other, which straightforwardly generates topological defects. Of particular interest are domain walls in charge-, dipole-, and spin-ordered systems, which govern macroscopic properties and important functionality. However, detailed atomic and electronic structures of domain walls have often been uncertain and the microscopic mechanism of their functionality has been elusive. Here, we clarify the complete atomic and electronic structures of the domain wall network, a honeycomb network connected by Z3 vortices, in the nearly commensurate Mott charge-density wave (CDW) phase of 1T-TaS2. Scanning tunneling microscopy resolves characteristic charge orders within domain walls and their vortices. Density functional theory calculations disclose their unique atomic relaxations and the metallic in-gap states confined tightly therein. A generic theory is constructed, which connects this emergent honeycomb network of conducting electrons to the enhanced superconductivity.

Optical generation of high carrier densities in 2D semiconductor heterobilayers

Controlling charge density in two-dimensional (2D) materials is a powerful approach for engineering new electronic phases and properties. This control is traditionally realized by electrostatic gating. Here, we report an optical approach for generation of high carrier densities using transition metal dichalcogenide heterobilayers, WSe₂/MoSe₂, with type II band alignment. By tuning the optical excitation density above the Mott threshold, we realize the phase transition from interlayer excitons to charge-separated electron/hole plasmas, where photoexcited electrons and holes are localized to individual layers. High carrier densities up to 4 × 10¹⁴ cm^-2 can be sustained under both pulsed and continuous wave excitation conditions. These findings open the door to optical control of electronic phases in 2D heterobilayers.

Monolayer triphosphates MP3 (M = Sn, Ge) with excellent basal catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction

Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials have received intense research interest due to their novel properties and promising applications in nanodevices. By using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigate catalytic activities of several newly predicted two-dimensional (2D) triphosphides GeP₃, SnP₃ and InP₃ monolayers for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The calculation results show that GeP₃ and SnP₃ monolayers are active catalysts for HER with suitable free energy of hydrogen adsorption in the basal plane. In particular, the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔG_H*) of GeP₃ is 0.024 eV, a value even more favorable compared to the precious-group-metal (PGM) catalyst Pt. Moreover, the 2D GeP₃ and SnP₃ are intrinsically compatible with the graphene substrate so that the HER performance can be improved via building a hybrid multilayer with graphene sheet. The charge transfer from GeP₃ or SnP₃ to graphene, estimated to be 0.1278e or 0.2157e, can significantly enhance the electric conductivity and promote the electrocatalytic activity. Although the electronic band structure of GeP₃ and SnP₃ can be tuned by external strain, we find that the HER performance of GeP₃ and SnP₃ monolayer is actually insensitive to the external strain, a feature desirable for the catalytic application. The desirable properties for HER with nearly zero Gibbs free energy render 2D GeP₃ and SnP₃ promising candidates for future application in electrocatalysis.

Strain-Induced Metastable Topological Networks in Laser-Fabricated TaS2 Polytype Heterostructures for Nanoscale Devices

The stacking of layered materials into heterostructures offers diverse possibilities for generating deformed moiré states arising from their mutual interaction. Here we report self-assembled two-dimensional nanoscale strain networks formed within a single prismatic (H) polytype monolayer of TaS₂ created in situ on the surface of an orthorhombic 1T-TaS₂ single crystal by a low-temperature laser-induced polytype transformation. The networks revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) take on diverse configurations at different temperatures, including extensive double stripes and a twisted 3-gonal mesh of connected 6-pronged vertices. The resulting phase diagram can be understood to be a consequence of thermally driven minimization of discommensurations between the H and 1T layers. Nontrivial dislocation defects of embedded 2- and 4-gonal structures are shown to be associated with local inhomogeneous strains. The creation of metastable heterostructures by laser quench at cryogenic temperatures in combination with STM manipulation of local strain demonstrates nanoscale control of topological defects in transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures may be utilized in the fabrication of nanoscale electronic devices and neural networks.

Anomalous Quantum Metal in a 2D Crystalline Superconductor with Electronic Phase Nonuniformity

The details of the superconducting to quantum metal transition (SQMT) at T = 0 are an open problem that invokes great interest in the nature of this exotic and unexpected ground state (Ephron et al., 1996; Mason and Kapitulnik, 1999; Chervenak and Valles, 2000). However, the SQMT was not yet investigated in a crystalline 2D superconductor with coexisting and fluctuating quantum orders. Here, we report the observation of a SQMT in 2D ion-gel-gated 1T-TiSe₂ (Li et al., 2016) driven by a magnetic field. A field-induced crossover between Bose quantum metal and vortex quantum creeping with an increasing field is observed. We discuss the interplay between superconducting and CDW fluctuations (discommensurations) and their relation to the anomalous quantum metal (AQM) phase. From our findings, gate-tunable 1T-TiSe₂ emerges as a privileged platform to scrutinize, in a controlled way, the details of the SQMT, the role of coexisting fluctuating orders and, ultimately, to obtain a deeper understanding of the fate of superconductivity in strictly two-dimensional crystals near zero temperature.

Growth of environmentally stable transition metal selenide films

Two-dimensional transition metal selenides (TMSs) possess fascinating physical properties. However, many as-prepared TMSs are environmentally unstable and limited in sample size, which greatly hinder their wide applications in high-performance electrical devices. Here we develop a general two-step vapour deposition method and successfully grow different TMS films with controllable thickness, wafer size and high quality. The superconductivity of the grown NbSe₂ film is comparable with sheets exfoliated from bulk materials, and can maintain stability after a variety of harsh treatments, which are ascribed to the absence of oxygen during the whole growth process. Such environmental stability can greatly simplify the fabrication procedure for device applications, and should be of both fundamental and technological significance in developing TMS-based devices.

Evidence of Spin Frustration in a Vanadium Diselenide Monolayer Magnet

Monolayer VSe₂ , featuring both charge density wave and magnetism phenomena, represents a unique van der Waals magnet in the family of metallic 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs). Herein, by means of in situ microscopy and spectroscopic techniques, including scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, synchrotron X-ray and angle-resolved photoemission, and X-ray absorption, direct spectroscopic signatures are established, that identify the metallic 1T-phase and vanadium 3d¹ electronic configuration in monolayer VSe₂ grown on graphite by molecular-beam epitaxy. Element-specific X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, complemented with magnetic susceptibility measurements, further reveals monolayer VSe₂ as a frustrated magnet, with its spins exhibiting subtle correlations, albeit in the absence of a long-range magnetic order down to 2 K and up to a 7 T magnetic field. This observation is attributed to the relative stability of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic ground states, arising from its atomic-scale structural features, such as rotational disorders and edges. The results of this study extend the current understanding of metallic 2D-TMDs in the search for exotic low-dimensional quantum phenomena, and stimulate further theoretical and experimental studies on van der Waals monolayer magnets.

Modulating Charge Density Wave Order in a 1T-TaS2/Black Phosphorus Heterostructure

Controllability of collective electron states has been a long-sought scientific and technological goal and promises development of new devices. Herein, we investigate the tuning of charge density wave (CDW) in 1T-TaS₂ via a two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructure of 1T-TaS₂/BP. Unusual gate-dependent conductance oscillations were observed in 1T-TaS₂ nanoflake supported on BP in transport measurements. Scanning tunneling microscopy study shows that the nearly commensurate (NC) CDW phase survived to 4.5 K in this system, which is substantially lower than the NC to commensurate CDW phase transition temperature of 180 K. A Coulomb blockade model was invoked to explain the conductance oscillations, where the domain walls and domains in NC phase serve as series of quantum dot arrays and tunnelling barriers, respectively. Density functional theory calculations show that a range of interfacial interactions, including strain and charge transfer, influences the CDW stabilities. Our work sheds light on tuning CDW orders via 2D heterostructure stacking and provides new insights on the CDW phase transition and sliding mechanism.

Recent progress in the controlled synthesis of 2D metallic transition metal dichalcogenides

Two-dimensional (2D) metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (MTMDCs), the complement of 2D semiconducting TMDCs, have attracted extensive attentions in recent years because of their versatile properties such as superconductivity, charge density wave, and magnetism. To promote the investigations of their fantastic properties and broad applications, the preparation of large-area, high-quality, and thickness-tunable 2D MTMDCs has become a very urgent topic and great efforts have been made. This topical review therefore focuses on the introduction of the recent achievements for the controllable syntheses of 2D MTMDCs (VS₂, VSe₂, TaS₂, TaSe₂, NbS₂, NbSe₂, etc). To begin with, some earlier developed routes such as chemical vapor transport, mechanical/chemical exfoliation, as well as molecular beam epitaxy methods are briefly introduced. Secondly, the scalable chemical vapor deposition methods involved with two sorts of metal-based feedstocks, including transition metal chlorides and transition metal oxidations mixed with alkali halides, are discussed separately. Finally, challenges for the syntheses of high-quality 2D MTMDCs are discussed and the future research directions in the related fields are proposed.

Ultrahigh conductivity in Weyl semimetal NbAs nanobelts

In two-dimensional (2D) systems, high mobility is typically achieved in low-carrier-density semiconductors and semimetals. Here, we discover that the nanobelts of Weyl semimetal NbAs maintain a high mobility even in the presence of a high sheet carrier density. We develop a growth scheme to synthesize single crystalline NbAs nanobelts with tunable Fermi levels. Owing to a large surface-to-bulk ratio, we argue that a 2D surface state gives rise to the high sheet carrier density, even though the bulk Fermi level is located near the Weyl nodes. A surface sheet conductance up to 5-100 S per □ is realized, exceeding that of conventional 2D electron gases, quasi-2D metal films, and topological insulator surface states. Corroborated by theory, we attribute the origin of the ultrahigh conductance to the disorder-tolerant Fermi arcs. The evidenced low-dissipation property of Fermi arcs has implications for both fundamental study and potential electronic applications.

Mapping multi-valley Lifshitz transitions induced by field-effect doping in strained MoS2 nanolayers

Gate-induced superconductivity at the surface of nanolayers of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has attracted a lot of attention in recent years, thanks to the sizeable transition temperature, robustness against in-plane magnetic fields beyond the Pauli limit, and hints to a non-conventional nature of the pairing. A key information necessary to unveil its microscopic origin is the geometry of the Fermi surface hosting the Cooper pairs as a function of field-effect doping, which is dictated by the filling of the inequivalent valleys at the K/K[Formula: see text] and Q/Q[Formula: see text] points of the Brillouin zone. Here, we achieve this by combining density functional theory calculations of the bandstructure with transport measurements on ion-gated 2H-MoS₂ nanolayers. We show that, when the number of layers and the amount of strain are set to their experimental values, the Fermi level crosses the bottom of the high-energy valleys at Q/Q[Formula: see text] at doping levels where characteristic kinks in the transconductance are experimentally detected. We also develop a simple 2D model which is able to quantitatively describe the broadening of the kinks observed upon increasing temperature. We demonstrate that this combined approach can be employed to map the dependence of the Fermi surface of TMD nanolayers on field-effect doping, detect Lifshitz transitions, and provide a method to determine the amount of strain and spin-orbit splitting between sub-bands from electric transport measurements in real devices.

Disorder Quenching of the Charge Density Wave in ZrTe_{3}

The charge density wave (CDW) in ZrTe_{3} is quenched in samples with a small amount of Te isoelectronically substituted by Se. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy we observe subtle changes in the electronic band dispersions and Fermi surfaces upon Se substitution. The scattering rates are substantially increased, in particular for the large three-dimensional Fermi surface sheet. The quasi-one-dimensional band is unaffected by the substitution and still shows a gap at low temperature, which starts to open from room temperature. Long-range order is, however, absent in the electronic states as in the periodic lattice distortion. The competition between superconductivity and the CDW is thus linked to the suppression of long-range order of the CDW.