Raman Characterization of the Charge Density Wave Phase of 1T-TiSe2: From Bulk to Atomically Thin Layers.

Raman scattering is a powerful tool for investigating the vibrational properties of two-dimensional materials. Unlike the 2H phase of many transition metal dichalcogenides, the 1T phase of TiSe2 features a Raman-active shearing and breathing mode, both of which shift toward lower energy with increasing number of layers. By systematically studying the Raman signal of 1T-TiSe2 in dependence of the sheet thickness, we demonstrate that the charge density wave transition of this compound can be reliably determined from the temperature dependence of the peak position of the Eg mode near 136 cm-1. The phase transition temperature is found to first increase with decreasing thickness of the sheets, followed by a decrease due to the effect of surface oxidation. The Raman spectroscopy-based method is expected to be applicable also to other 1T-phase transition metal dichalcogenides featuring a charge density wave transition and represents a valuable complement to electrical transport-based approaches.

Tuning the magnetoresistance of ultrathin WTe2 sheets by electrostatic gating.

The semimetallic, two-dimensional layered transition metal dichalcogenide WTe2 has raised considerable interest due to its huge, non-saturating magnetoresistance. While for the origin of this effect, a close-to-ideal balance of electrons and holes has been put forward, the carrier concentration dependence of the magnetoresistance remains to be clarified. Here, we present a detailed study of the magnetotransport behaviour of ultrathin, mechanically exfoliated WTe2 sheets as a function of electrostatic back gating. The carrier concentration and mobility, determined using the two band model and analysis of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, indicate enhanced surface scattering for the thinnest sheets. By the back gate action, the magnetoresistance could be tuned by up to ∼100% for a ∼13 nm-thick WTe2 sheet.

Harnessing Topological Band Effects in Bismuth Telluride Selenide for Large Enhancements in Thermoelectric Properties through Isovalent Doping.

Dilute isovalent sulfur doping simultaneously increases electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient in Bi2 Te2 Se nanoplates, and bulk pellets made from them. This unusual trend at high electron concentrations is underpinned by multifold increases in electron effective mass attributable to sulfur-induced band topology effects, providing a new way for accessing a high thermoelectric figure-of-merit in topological-insulator-based nanomaterials through doping.

Current-Induced Spin Polarization in Topological Insulator-Graphene Heterostructures.

Further development of the field of all-electric spintronics requires the successful integration of spin transport channels with spin injector/generator elements. While with the advent of graphene and related 2D materials high performance spin channel materials are available, the use of nanostructured spin generators remains a major challenge. Especially promising for the latter purpose are 3D topological insulators, whose 2D surface states host massless Dirac Fermions with spin-momentum locking. Here, we demonstrate injection of spin-polarized current from a topological insulator into graphene, enabled by its intimate coupling to an ultrathin Bi2Te2Se nanoplatelet within a van der Waals epitaxial heterostructure. The spin switching signal, whose magnitude scales inversely with temperature, is detectable up to ∼15 K. Our findings establish topological insulators as prospective future components of spintronic devices wherein spin manipulation is achieved by purely electrical means.

Dimensional crossover in the quantum transport behaviour of the natural topological insulator Aleksite.

Three-dimensional topological insulators comprise topologically protected surface states displaying massless, Dirac-like linear dispersion with spin-momentum locking. Electrical conduction through such surface states has been documented to manifest itself in a two-dimensional character of the angle-dependent magnetotransport behavior. Here, we explore the size-dependent electronic properties of nanostructures made of the lead-containing mineral Aleksite, a naturally occurring topological insulator. Compared to its sister compound Kawazulite, a member of the well-studied Tetradymite crystal class, the crystal structure of Aleksite is distinguished by its lack of any counterpart within the group of synthetic topological insulators. Low temperature Hall measurements on thin Aleksite nanosheets reveal a significant carrier mobility on the order of 1000 cm(2)/(Vs), and a high carrier density of n = 3.9 × 10(25) m(-3). Importantly, for Aleksite nanoribbons with a width below 150 nm, a 1D weak antilocalization effect along with 1D universal conductance fluctuations emerges, which transforms into 2D behavior for larger ribbon widths.

Sub-terahertz frequency-domain spectroscopy reveals single-grain mobility and scatter influence of large-area graphene.

The response of individual domains in wafer-sized chemical vapor deposition graphene is measured by contactless sub-terahertz interferometry, observing the intrinsic optical conductance and reaching very high mobility values. It is shown that charged scatterers limit the mobility, validating previous theoretical predictions, and sub-terahertz quality assessment is demonstrated, as necessary for large-scale applications in touchscreens, as well as wearable and optoelectronic devices.

Homoleptic Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Hg(II) complexes of bis-(phenyl)-diisoindol-aza-methene.

The synthesis of five homoleptic transition metal complexes of bis-(phenyl)-diisoindol-aza-methene is described together with the optical, electrochemical and thermal properties of these compounds. Additionally, crystal structures for the Co and the Zn complex are reported.