Imaging tunable Luttinger liquid systems in van der Waals heterostructures.

One-dimensional (1D) interacting electrons are often described as a Luttinger liquid1-4 having properties that are intrinsically different from those of Fermi liquids in higher dimensions5,6. In materials systems, 1D electrons exhibit exotic quantum phenomena that can be tuned by both intra- and inter-1D-chain electronic interactions, but their experimental characterization can be challenging. Here we demonstrate that layer-stacking domain walls (DWs) in van der Waals heterostructures form a broadly tunable Luttinger liquid system, including both isolated and coupled arrays. We have imaged the evolution of DW Luttinger liquids under different interaction regimes tuned by electron density using scanning tunnelling microscopy. Single DWs at low carrier density are highly susceptible to Wigner crystallization consistent with a spin-incoherent Luttinger liquid, whereas at intermediate densities dimerized Wigner crystals form because of an enhanced magneto-elastic coupling. Periodic arrays of DWs exhibit an interplay between intra- and inter-chain interactions that gives rise to new quantum phases. At low electron densities, inter-chain interactions are dominant and induce a 2D electron crystal composed of phased-locked 1D Wigner crystal in a staggered configuration. Increased electron density causes intra-chain fluctuation potentials to dominate, leading to an electronic smectic liquid crystal phase in which electrons are ordered with algebraical correlation decay along the chain direction but disordered between chains. Our work shows that layer-stacking DWs in 2D heterostructures provides opportunities to explore Luttinger liquid physics.

Thermodynamic properties and enhancement of diamagnetism in nitrogen doped lutetium hydride synthesized at high pressure.

Nitrogen doped lutetium hydride has drawn global attention in the pursuit of room-temperature superconductivity near ambient pressure and temperature. However, variable synthesis techniques and uncertainty surrounding nitrogen concentration have contributed to extensive debate within the scientific community about this material and its properties. We used a solid-state approach to synthesize nitrogen doped lutetium hydride at high pressure and temperature (HPT) and analyzed the residual starting materials to determine its nitrogen content. High temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry determined the formation enthalpy of LuH1.96N0.02 (LHN) from LuH2 and LuN to be -28.4 ± 11.4 kJ/mol. Magnetic measurements indicated diamagnetism which increased with nitrogen content. Ambient pressure conductivity measurements observed metallic behavior from 5 to 350 K, and the constant and parabolic magnetoresistance changed with increasing temperature. High pressure conductivity measurements revealed that LHN does not exhibit superconductivity up to 26.6 GPa. We compressed LHN in a diamond anvil cell to 13.7 GPa and measured the Raman signal at each step, with no evidence of any phase transition. Despite the absence of superconductivity, a color change from blue to purple to red was observed with increasing pressure. Thus, our findings confirm the thermodynamic stability of LHN, do not support superconductivity, and provide insights into the origins of its diamagnetism.

Ultrafast formation of quantized interlayer vibrations in Bi2Se3 by photoinduced strain waves.

This study comprehensively investigated the coherent lattice dynamics in Bi2Se3 by ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy with tunable near-infrared probe pulses. Sample-thickness- and probe-wavelength-dependent experiments revealed the key role of Bi2Se3 optical property in the generation and detection of photoinduced strain waves, whose confinement initiated coherent interlayer vibrations. Furthermore, the frequency and lifetime of the interlayer vibrations could be quantitatively explained with a modified linear chain and an acoustic mismatch model considering elastic coupling at sample-substrate interfaces. The results of this work provide insights for analyzing and interpreting, through ultrafast optical spectroscopy, nanomechanical interactions in layered materials.

Ultrafast Carrier-Lattice Interactions and Interlayer Modulations of Bi2Se3 by X-ray Free-Electron Laser Diffraction.

As a 3D topological insulator, bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) has potential applications for electrically and optically controllable magnetic and optoelectronic devices. Understanding the coupling with its topological phase requires studying the interactions of carriers with the lattice on time scales down to the subpicosecond regime. Here, we investigate the ultrafast carrier-induced lattice contractions and interlayer modulations in Bi2Se3 thin films by time-resolved diffraction using an X-ray free-electron laser. The lattice contraction depends on the carrier concentration and is followed by an interlayer expansion accompanied by oscillations. Using density functional theory and the Lifshitz model, the initial contraction can be explained by van der Waals force modulation of the confined free carrier layers. Our theoretical calculations suggest that the band inversion, related to a topological phase transition, is modulated by the expansion of the interlayer distance. These results provide insights into the topological phase control by light-induced structural change on ultrafast time scales.

Gate-Variable Mid-Infrared Optical Transitions in a (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 Topological Insulator.

We report mid-infrared spectroscopy measurements of ultrathin, electrostatically gated (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 topological insulator films in which we observe several percent modulation of transmittance and reflectance as gating shifts the Fermi level. Infrared transmittance measurements of gated films were enabled by use of an epitaxial lift-off method for large-area transfer of topological insulator films from infrared-absorbing SrTiO3 growth substrates to thermal oxidized silicon substrates. We combine these optical experiments with transport measurements and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to identify the observed spectral modulation as a gate-driven transfer of spectral weight between both bulk and 2D topological surface channels and interband and intraband channels. We develop a model for the complex permittivity of gated (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 and find a good match to our experimental data. These results open the path for layered topological insulator materials as a new candidate for tunable, ultrathin infrared optics and highlight the possibility of switching topological optoelectronic phenomena between bulk and spin-polarized surface regimes.

Observation of Anderson localization in ultrathin films of three-dimensional topological insulators.

Anderson localization, the absence of diffusive transport in disordered systems, has been manifested as hopping transport in numerous electronic systems, whereas in recently discovered topological insulators it has not been directly observed. Here, we report experimental demonstration of a crossover from diffusive transport in the weak antilocalization regime to variable range hopping transport in the Anderson localization regime with ultrathin (Bi_{1-x}Sb_{x})_{2}Te_{3} films. As disorder becomes stronger, negative magnetoconductivity due to the weak antilocalization is gradually suppressed, and eventually, positive magnetoconductivity emerges when the electron system becomes strongly localized. This work reveals the critical role of disorder in the quantum transport properties of ultrathin topological insulator films, in which theories have predicted rich physics related to topological phase transitions.

Observation of the Zero Hall Plateau in a Quantum Anomalous Hall Insulator.

We report experimental investigations on the quantum phase transition between the two opposite Hall plateaus of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator. We observe a well-defined plateau with zero Hall conductivity over a range of magnetic field around coercivity when the magnetization reverses. The features of the zero Hall plateau are shown to be closely related to that of the quantum anomalous Hall effect, but its temperature evolution exhibits a significant difference from the network model for a conventional quantum Hall plateau transition. We propose that the chiral edge states residing at the magnetic domain boundaries, which are unique to a quantum anomalous Hall insulator, are responsible for the novel features of the zero Hall plateau.

Phase diagram and electronic indication of high-temperature superconductivity at 65 K in single-layer FeSe films.

The recent discovery of possible high-temperature superconductivity in single-layer FeSe films has generated significant experimental and theoretical interest. In both the cuprate and the iron-based high-temperature superconductors, superconductivity is induced by doping charge carriers into the parent compound to suppress the antiferromagnetic state. It is therefore important to establish whether the superconductivity observed in the single-layer sheets of FeSe--the essential building blocks of the Fe-based superconductors--is realized by undergoing a similar transition. Here we report the phase diagram for an FeSe monolayer grown on a SrTiO3 substrate, by tuning the charge carrier concentration over a wide range through an extensive annealing procedure. We identify two distinct phases that compete during the annealing process: the electronic structure of the phase at low doping (N phase) bears a clear resemblance to the antiferromagnetic parent compound of the Fe-based superconductors, whereas the superconducting phase (S phase) emerges with the increase in doping and the suppression of the N phase. By optimizing the carrier concentration, we observe strong indications of superconductivity with a transition temperature of 65±5 K. The wide tunability of the system across different phases makes the FeSe monolayer ideal for investigating not only the physics of superconductivity, but also for studying novel quantum phenomena more generally.

Strain-tunable Berry curvature in quasi-two-dimensional chromium telluride.

Magnetic transition metal chalcogenides form an emerging platform for exploring spin-orbit driven Berry phase phenomena owing to the nontrivial interplay between topology and magnetism. Here we show that the anomalous Hall effect in pristine Cr2Te3 thin films manifests a unique temperature-dependent sign reversal at nonzero magnetization, resulting from the momentum-space Berry curvature as established by first-principles simulations. The sign change is strain tunable, enabled by the sharp and well-defined substrate/film interface in the quasi-two-dimensional Cr2Te3 epitaxial films, revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and depth-sensitive polarized neutron reflectometry. This Berry phase effect further introduces hump-shaped Hall peaks in pristine Cr2Te3 near the coercive field during the magnetization switching process, owing to the presence of strain-modulated magnetic layers/domains. The versatile interface tunability of Berry curvature in Cr2Te3 thin films offers new opportunities for topological electronics.

Enhancing the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect by Magnetic Codoping in a Topological Insulator.

The quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, which has been realized in magnetic topological insulators (TIs), is the key to applications of dissipationless quantum Hall edge states in electronic devices. However, investigations and utilizations of the QAH effect are limited by the ultralow temperatures needed to reach full quantization-usually below 100 mK in either Cr- or V-doped (Bi,Sb)2 Te3 of the two experimentally confirmed QAH materials. Here it is shown that by codoping Cr and V magnetic elements in (Bi,Sb)2 Te3 TI, the temperature of the QAH effect can be significantly increased such that full quantization is achieved at 300 mK, and zero-field Hall resistance of 0.97 h/e2 is observed at 1.5 K. A systematic transport study of the codoped (Bi,Sb)2 Te3 films with varied Cr/V ratios reveals that magnetic codoping improves the homogeneity of ferromagnetism and modulates the surface band structure. This work demonstrates magnetic codoping to be an effective strategy for achieving high-temperature QAH effect in TIs.

Controlled crack propagation for atomic precision handling of wafer-scale two-dimensional materials.

Although flakes of two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures at the micrometer scale can be formed with adhesive-tape exfoliation methods, isolation of 2D flakes into monolayers is extremely time consuming because it is a trial-and-error process. Controlling the number of 2D layers through direct growth also presents difficulty because of the high nucleation barrier on 2D materials. We demonstrate a layer-resolved 2D material splitting technique that permits high-throughput production of multiple monolayers of wafer-scale (5-centimeter diameter) 2D materials by splitting single stacks of thick 2D materials grown on a single wafer. Wafer-scale uniformity of hexagonal boron nitride, tungsten disulfide, tungsten diselenide, molybdenum disulfide, and molybdenum diselenide monolayers was verified by photoluminescence response and by substantial retention of electronic conductivity. We fabricated wafer-scale van der Waals heterostructures, including field-effect transistors, with single-atom thickness resolution.

Enhanced electron dephasing in three-dimensional topological insulators.

Study of the dephasing in electronic systems is not only important for probing the nature of their ground states, but also crucial to harnessing the quantum coherence for information processing. In contrast to well-studied conventional metals and semiconductors, it remains unclear which mechanism is mainly responsible for electron dephasing in three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs). Here, we report on using weak antilocalization effect to measure the dephasing rates in highly tunable (Bi,Sb)2Te3 thin films. As the transport is varied from a bulk-conducting regime to surface-dominant transport, the dephasing rate is observed to evolve from a linear temperature dependence to a sublinear power-law dependence. Although the former is consistent with the Nyquist electron-electron interactions commonly seen in ordinary 2D systems, the latter leads to enhanced electron dephasing at low temperatures and is attributed to the coupling between the surface states and the localized charge puddles in the bulk of 3D TIs.

Magnetic quantum phase transition in Cr-doped Bi2(SexTe1-x)3 driven by the Stark effect.

The recent experimental observation of the quantum anomalous Hall effect has cast significant attention on magnetic topological insulators. In these magnetic counterparts of conventional topological insulators such as Bi2Te3, a long-range ferromagnetic state can be established by chemical doping with transition-metal elements. However, a much richer electronic phase diagram can emerge and, in the specific case of Cr-doped Bi2(SexTe1-x)3, a magnetic quantum phase transition tuned by the actual chemical composition has been reported. From an application-oriented perspective, the relevance of these results hinges on the possibility to manipulate magnetism and electronic band topology by external perturbations such as an electric field generated by gate electrodes-similar to what has been achieved in conventional diluted magnetic semiconductors. Here, we investigate the magneto-transport properties of Cr-doped Bi2(SexTe1-x)3 with different compositions under the effect of a gate voltage. The electric field has a negligible effect on magnetic order for all investigated compositions, with the remarkable exception of the sample close to the topological quantum critical point, where the gate voltage reversibly drives a ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic phase transition. Theoretical calculations show that a perpendicular electric field causes a shift in the electronic energy levels due to the Stark effect, which induces a topological quantum phase transition and, in turn, a magnetic phase transition.

Thickness Dependence of the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in Magnetic Topological Insulator Films.

The evolution of the quantum anomalous Hall effect with the thickness of Cr-doped (Bi,Sb)2 Te3 magnetic topological insulator films is studied, revealing how the effect is caused by the interplay of the surface states, band-bending, and ferromagnetic exchange energy. Homogeneity in ferromagnetism is found to be the key to high-temperature quantum anomalous Hall material.

Crystallinity of tellurium capping and epitaxy of ferromagnetic topological insulator films on SrTiO3.

Thin films of topological insulators are often capped with an insulating layer since topological insulators are known to be fragile to degradation. However, capping can hinder the observation of novel transport properties of the surface states. To understand the influence of capping on the surface states, it is crucial to understand the crystal structure and the atomic arrangement at the interfaces. Here, we use x-ray diffraction to establish the crystal structure of magnetic topological insulator Cr-doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3 (CBST) films grown on SrTiO3 (1 1 1) substrates with and without a Te capping layer. We find that both the film and capping layer are single crystal and that the crystal quality of the film is independent of the presence of the capping layer, but that x-rays cause sublimation of the CBST film, which is prevented by the capping layer. Our findings show that the different transport properties of capped films cannot be attributed to a lower crystal quality but to a more subtle effect such as a different electronic structure at the interface with the capping layer. Our results on the crystal structure and atomic arrangements of the topological heterostructure will enable modelling the electronic structure and design of topological heterostructures.

Electrically tuned magnetic order and magnetoresistance in a topological insulator.

The interplay between topological protection and broken time reversal symmetry in topological insulators may lead to highly unconventional magnetoresistance behaviour that can find unique applications in magnetic sensing and data storage. However, the magnetoresistance of topological insulators with spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry is still poorly understood. In this work, we investigate the transport properties of a ferromagnetic topological insulator thin film fabricated into a field effect transistor device. We observe a complex evolution of gate-tuned magnetoresistance, which is positive when the Fermi level lies close to the Dirac point but becomes negative at higher energies. This trend is opposite to that expected from the Berry phase picture, but is intimately correlated with the gate-tuned magnetic order. The underlying physics is the competition between the topology-induced weak antilocalization and magnetism-induced negative magnetoresistance. The simultaneous electrical control of magnetic order and magnetoresistance facilitates future topological insulator based spintronic devices.

Experimental observation of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in a magnetic topological insulator.

The quantized version of the anomalous Hall effect has been predicted to occur in magnetic topological insulators, but the experimental realization has been challenging. Here, we report the observation of the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect in thin films of chromium-doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3, a magnetic topological insulator. At zero magnetic field, the gate-tuned anomalous Hall resistance reaches the predicted quantized value of h/e(2), accompanied by a considerable drop in the longitudinal resistance. Under a strong magnetic field, the longitudinal resistance vanishes, whereas the Hall resistance remains at the quantized value. The realization of the QAH effect may lead to the development of low-power-consumption electronics.

Electronic origin of high-temperature superconductivity in single-layer FeSe superconductor.

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in iron-based compounds has attracted much attention. How to further increase the superconducting transition temperature (T(c)) and how to understand the superconductivity mechanism are two prominent issues facing the current study of iron-based superconductors. The latest report of high-T(c) superconductivity in a single-layer FeSe is therefore both surprising and significant. Here we present investigations of the electronic structure and superconducting gap of the single-layer FeSe superconductor. Its Fermi surface is distinct from other iron-based superconductors, consisting only of electron-like pockets near the zone corner without indication of any Fermi surface around the zone centre. Nearly isotropic superconducting gap is observed in this strictly two-dimensional system. The temperature dependence of the superconducting gap gives a transition temperature T(c)~ 55 K. These results have established a clear case that such a simple electronic structure is compatible with high-T(c) superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.