Phase Modulators Based on High Mobility Ambipolar ReSe2 Field-Effect Transistors.

We fabricated ambipolar field-effect transistors (FETs) from multi-layered triclinic ReSe2, mechanically exfoliated onto a SiO2 layer grown on p-doped Si. In contrast to previous reports on thin layers (~2 to 3 layers), we extract field-effect carrier mobilities in excess of 102 cm2/Vs at room temperature in crystals with nearly ~10 atomic layers. These thicker FETs also show nearly zero threshold gate voltage for conduction and high ON to OFF current ratios when compared to the FETs built from thinner layers. We also demonstrate that it is possible to utilize this ambipolarity to fabricate logical elements or digital synthesizers. For instance, we demonstrate that one can produce simple, gate-voltage tunable phase modulators with the ability to shift the phase of the input signal by either 90° or nearly 180°. Given that it is possible to engineer these same elements with improved architectures, for example on h-BN in order to decrease the threshold gate voltage and increase the carrier mobilities, it is possible to improve their characteristics in order to engineer ultra-thin layered logic elements based on ReSe2.

Resonant Raman and Exciton Coupling in High-Quality Single Crystals of Atomically Thin Molybdenum Diselenide Grown by Vapor-Phase Chalcogenization.

We report a detailed investigation on Raman spectroscopy in vapor-phase chalcogenization grown, high-quality single-crystal atomically thin molybdenum diselenide samples. Measurements were performed in samples with four different incident laser excitation energies ranging from 1.95 eV ⩽ Eex ⩽ 2.71 eV, revealing rich spectral information in samples ranging from N = 1-4 layers and a thick, bulk sample. In addition to previously observed (and identified) peaks, we specifically investigate the origin of a peak near ω ≈ 250 cm-1. Our density functional theory and Bethe-Salpeter calculations suggest that this peak arises from a double-resonant Raman process involving the ZA acoustic phonon perpendicular to the layer. This mode appears prominently in freshly prepared samples and disappears in aged samples, thereby offering a method for ascertaining the high optoelectronic quality of freshly prepared 2D-MoSe2 crystals. We further present an in-depth investigation of the energy-dependent variation of the position of this and other peaks and provide evidence of C-exciton-phonon coupling in monolayer MoSe2. Finally, we show how the signature peak positions and intensities vary as a function of layer thickness in these samples.

Ultrafast structural evolution and formation of linear carbon chains in single-walled carbon nanotube networks by femtosecond laser irradiation.

Inter-allotropic structural transformation of sp2 structured nanocarbon is a topic of fundamental and technological interest in scalable nanomanufacturing. Such modifications usually require extremely high temperature or high-energy irradiation, and are usually a destructive and time-consuming process. Here, we demonstrate a method for engineering a molecular structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and their network properties by femtosecond laser irradiation. This method allows effective coalescence between SWNTs, transforming them into other allotropic nanocarbon structures (double-walled, triple-walled and multi-walled nanotubes) with the formation of linear carbon chains. The nanocarbon network created by this laser-induced transformation process shows extraordinarily strong coalescence induced mode in Raman spectra and two-times enhanced electrical conductivity. This work suggests a powerful method for engineering sp2 carbon allotropes and their junctions, which provides possibilities for next generation materials with structural hybridization at the atomic scale.

Persistence of strong and switchable ferroelectricity despite vacancies.

Vacancies play a pivotal role in affecting ferroelectric polarization and switching properties, and there is a possibility that ferroelectricity may be utterly eliminated when defects render the system metallic. However, sufficient quantitative understandings of the subject have been lacking for decades due to the fact that vacancies in ferroelectrics are often charged and polarization in charged systems is not translationally invariant. Here we perform first-principles studies to investigate the influence of vacancies on ferroelectric polarization and polarization switching in prototypical BaTiO3 of tetragonal symmetry. We demonstrate using the modern theory of polarization that, in contrast to common wisdom, defective BaTiO3 with a large concentration of vacancies (or , or ) possesses a strong nonzero electric polarization. Breaking of Ti-O bonds is found to have little effect on the magnitude of polarization, which is striking. Furthermore, a previously unrecognized microscopic mechanism, which is particularly important when vacancies are present, is proposed for polarization switching. The mechanism immediately reveals that (i) the switching barrier in the presence of is small with ΔE = 8.3 meV per bulk formula cell, and the polarization is thus switchable even when vacancies exist; (ii) The local environment of vacancy is surprisingly insignificant in polarization switching. These results provide profound new knowledge and will stimulate more theoretical and experimental interest on defect physics in FEs.

Predicted coupling of the electromagnetic angular momentum density with magnetic moments.

Analytical derivations are developed to demonstrate that (i) the angular moment density associated with an electromagnetic field can directly couple with magnetic moments to produce a physical energy, (ii) this direct coupling explains known, subtle phenomena, including some recently predicted in magnetoelectric materials, and (iii) this coupling also results in novel effects, such as the occurrence of a magnetic anisotropy that is driven by antiferroelectricity.