Formation of Two-Dimensional AgTe Monolayer Atomic Crystal on Ag(111) Substrate

We report on the formation of two-dimensional monolayer AgTe crystal on Ag(111) substrates. The samples are prepared in ultrahigh vacuum by deposition of Te on Ag(111) followed by annealing. Using a scanning tunneling microscope(STM) and low electron energy diffraction(LEED), we investigate the atomic structure of the samples.The STM images and the LEED pattern show that monolayer AgTe crystal is formed on Ag(111). Four kinds of atomic structures of AgTe and Ag(111) are observed:(i) flat honeycomb structure,(ii) bulked honeycomb,(iii)stripe structure,(iv) hexagonal structure. The structural analysis indicates that the formation of the different atomic structures is due to the lattice mismatch and relief of the intrinsic strain in the AgTe layer. Our results provide a simple and convenient method to produce monolayer AgTe atomic crystal on Ag(111) and a template for study of novel physical properties and for future quantum devices.

Robustness of the unidirectional stripe order in the kagome superconductor CsV_(3)Sb_(5)

V-based kagome materials AV_(3)Sb_(5)(A=K,Rb,Cs)have attracted much attention due to their novel properties such as unconventional superconductivity,giant anomalous Hall effect,charge density wave(CDW)and pair density wave.Except for the 2a_(0)×2a_(0)CDW(charge density wave with in-plane 2×2 superlattice modulation)in AV_(3)Sb_(5),an additional 1×4(4a_(0))unidirectional stripe order has been observed at the Sb surface of Rb V3 Sb5 and CsV_(3)Sb_(5).However,the stability and electronic nature of the 4a_(0) stripe order remain controversial and unclear.Here,by using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy(STM/S),we systematically study the 4a_(0) stripe order on the Sb-terminated surface of CsV_(3)Sb_(5).We find that the 4a_(0) stripe order is visible in a large energy range.The STM images with positive and negative bias show contrast inversion,which is the hallmark for the Peierls-type CDW.In addition,below the critical temperature about 60 K,the 4a_(0)stripe order keeps unaffected against the topmost Cs atoms,point defects,step edges and magnetic field up to 8 T.Our results provide experimental evidences on the existence of unidirectional CDW in CsV_(3)Sb_(5).

Intrinsic charge transport behaviors in graphene-black phosphorus van der Waals heterojunction devices

Heterostructures from mechanically-assembled stacks of two-dimensional materials allow for versatile electronic device applications. Here, we demonstrate the intrinsic charge transport behaviors in graphene-black phosphorus heterojunction devices under different charge carrier densities and temperature regimes. At high carder densities or in the ON state, tunneling through the Schottky barrier at the interface between graphene and black phosphorus dominates at low temperatures. With temperature increasing, the Schottky barrier at the interface is vanishing, and the channel current starts to decrease with increasing temperature, behaving like a metal. While at low carder densities or in the OFF state, thermal emission over the Schottky barrier at the interface dominates the carriers transport process. A barrier height of ～ 67.3 meV can be extracted from the thermal emission-diffusion theory.

Fabrication of large-scale graphene/2D-germanium heterostructure by intercalation

We report a large-scale, high-quality heterostructure composed of vertically-stacked graphene and two-dimensional(2D) germanium.The heterostructure is constructed by the intercalation-assisted technique.We first synthesize large-scale,single-crystalline graphene on Ir(111) surface and then intercalate germanium at the interface of graphene and Ir(111).The intercalated germanium forms a well-defined 2D layer with a 2 × 2 superstructure with respect to Ir(111).Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the 2D germanium has a double-layer structure.Raman characterizations show that the 2D germanium effectively weakens the interaction between graphene and Ir substrate, making graphene more like the intrinsic one.Further experiments of low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) confirm the formation of large-scale and high-quality graphene/2D-germanium vertical heterostructure.The integration of graphene with a traditional 2D semiconductor provides a platform to explore new physical phenomena in the future.

Charge density wave states in phase-engineered monolayer VTe_(2)

Charge density wave(CDW)strongly affects the electronic properties of two-dimensional(2D)materials and can be tuned by phase engineering.Among 2D transitional metal dichalcogenides(TMDs),VTe_(2)was predicted to require small energy for its phase transition and shows unexpected CDW states in its T-phase.However,the CDW state of H-VTe_(2)has been barely reported.Here,we investigate the CDW states in monolayer(ML)H-VTe_(2),induced by phase-engineering from T-phase VTe_(2).The phase transition between T-and H-VTe_(2)is revealed with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and scanning transmission electron microscopy(STEM)measurements.For H-VTe_(2),scanning tunneling microscope(STM)and low-energy electron diffraction(LEED)results show a robust 2√3×2√3CDW superlattice with a transition temperature above 450 K.Our findings provide a promising way for manipulating the CDWs in 2D materials and show great potential in its application of nanoelectronics.

Exploring Majorana zero modes in iron-based superconductors

Majorana zero modes(MZMs) are Majorana-fermion-like quasiparticles existing in crystals or hybrid platforms with topologically non-trivial electronic structures. They obey non-Abelian braiding statistics and are considered promising to realize topological quantum computing. Discovery of MZM in the vortices of the iron-based superconductors(IBSs)has recently fueled the Majorana research in a way which not only removes the material barrier requiring construction of complicated hybrid artificial structures, but also enables observation of pure MZMs under higher temperatures. So far,MZMs have been observed in iron-based superconductors including FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45),(Li_(0.84)Fe_(0.16))OHFe Se, Ca KFe_(4)As_(4),and Li Fe As. In this topical review, we present an overview of the recent STM studies on the MZMs in IBSs. We start with the observation of MZMs in the vortices in FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)and discuss the pros and cons of FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45) compared with other platforms. We then review the following up discovery of MZMs in vortices of Ca KFe_(4)As_(4), impurity-assisted vortices of Li Fe As, and quantum anomalous vortices in FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45), illustrating the pathway of the developments of MZM research in IBSs. Finally, we give perspective on future experimental works in this field.

Superconductivity and unconventional density waves in vanadium-based kagome materials AV_(3)Sb_(5)

Recently,the discovery of vanadium-based kagome metal AV_(3)Sb_(5)(A=K,Rb,Cs)has attracted great interest in the field of superconductivity due to the coexistence of superconductivity,non-trivial surface state and multiple density waves.In this topical review,we present recent works of superconductivity and unconventional density waves in vanadium-based kagome materials AV_(3)Sb_(5).We start with the unconventional charge density waves,which are thought to correlate to the time-reversal symmetry-breaking orders and the unconventional anomalous Hall effects in AV_(3)Sb_(5).Then we discuss the superconductivity and the topological band structure.Next,we review the competition between the superconductivity and charge density waves under different conditions of pressure,chemical doping,thickness,and strains.Finally,the experimental evidence of pseudogap pair density wave is discussed.

Intercalation of germanium oxide beneath large-area and high-quality epitaxial graphene on Ir(111) substrate

Epitaxial growth on transition metal surfaces is an effective way to prepare large-area and high-quality graphene.However,the strong interaction between graphene and metal substrates suppresses the intrinsic excellent properties of graphene and the conductive metal substrates also hinder its applications in electronics.Here we demonstrate the decoupling of graphene from metal substrates by germanium oxide intercalation.Germanium is firstly intercalated into the interface between graphene and Ir(111) substrate.Then oxygen is subsequently intercalated,leading to the formation of a GeO_(x) layer,which is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.Low-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy studies show intact carbon lattice of graphene after the GeO_(x) intercalation.Raman characterizations reveal that the intercalated layer effectively decouples graphene from the Ir substrate.The transport measurements demonstrate that the GeO_(x) layer can act as a tunneling barrier in the fabricated large-area high-quality vertical graphene/GeO_(x)/Ir heterostructure.

High quality PdTe_2 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

PdTe2, a member of layered transition metal dichalcogenides （TMDs）, has aroused significant research interest due to the coexistence of superconductivity and type-II Dirac fermions. It provides a promising platform to explore the inter- play between superconducting quasiparticles and Dirac fermions. Moreover, PdTe2 has also been used as a substrate for monolayer antimonene growth. Here in this paper, we report the epitaxial growth of high quality PdTe2 films on bilayer graphene/SiC（0001） by molecular beam epitaxy （MBE）. Atomically thin films are characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy （XPS）, low-energy electron diffraction （LEED）, and Raman spec- troscopy. The band structure of 6-layer PdTe2 film is measured by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy （ARPES）. Moreover, our air exposure experiments show excellent chemical stability of epitaxial PdTe2 film. High-quality PdTe2 films provide opportunities to build antimonene/PdTe2 heterostructure in ultrahigh vacuum for future applications in electronic and optoelectronic nanodevices.

Anisotropic Superconducting Properties of Kagome Metal CsV_3Sb_5

We systematically measure the superconducting(SC)and mixed state properties of high-quality CsV_3 Sb_5 single crystals with T_c-3.5 K.We find that the upper critical field H_(c2)(T)exhibits a large anisotropic ratio of H_(c2)^(ab)/H_(c2)^c^9 at zero temperature and fitting its temperature dependence requires a minimum two-band effective model.Moreover,the ratio of the lower critical field,H_(c1)^(ab)/H_(c1)^c,is also found to be larger than 1,which indicates that the in-plane energy dispersion is strongly renormalized near Fermi energy.Both H_(c1)(T)and SC diamagnetic signal are found to change little initially below T_c-3.5 K and then to increase abruptly upon cooling to a characteristic temperature of-2.8 K.Furthermore,we identify a two-fold anisotropy of in-plane angular-dependent magnetoresistance in the mixed state.Interestingly,we find that,below the same characteristic T-2.8 K,the orientation of this two-fold anisotropy displays a peculiar twist by an angle of 60°characteristic of the Kagome geometry.Our results suggest an intriguing superconducting state emerging in the complex environment of Kagome lattice,which,at least,is partially driven by electron-electron correlation.

Epitaxial fabrication of two-dimensional TiTe_2 monolayer onAu(111) substrate with Te as buffer layer

Two-dimensional(2 D) materials provide a platform to exploit the novel physical properties of functional nanodevices.Here, we report on the formation of a new 2 D layered material, a well-ordered monolayer TiTe_2, on a Au(111) surface by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE). Low-energy electron diffraction(LEED) measurements of the samples indicate that the TiTe_2 film forms(√3 ×√7) superlattice with respect to the Au(111) substrate, which has three different orientations. Scanning tunneling microscopy(STM) measurements clearly show three ordered domains consistent with the LEED patterns.Density functional theory(DFT) calculations further confirm the formation of 2 H-TiTe_2 monolayer on the Au(111) surface with Te as buffer layer. The fabrication of this 2 D layered heterostructure expands 2 D material database, which may bring new physical properties for future applications.

Real-space observation on standing configurations of phenylacetylene on Cu(111) by scanning probe microscopy

The adsorption configurations of molecules adsorbed on substrates can significantly affect their physical and chemical properties. A standing configuration can be difficult to determine by traditional techniques, such as scanning tunneling microscopy(STM) due to the superposition of electronic states. In this paper, we report the real-space observation of the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111) by non-contact atomic force microscopy(nc-AFM).Deposition of phenylacetylene at 25 K shows featureless bright spots in STM images. Using nc-AFM, the line features representing the C–H and C–C bonds in benzene rings are evident, which implies a standing adsorption configuration. Further density functional theory(DFT) calculations reveal multiple optimized adsorption configurations with phenylacetylene breaking its acetylenic bond and forming C–Cu bond(s) with the underlying copper atoms, and hence stand on the substrate.By comparing the nc-AFM simulations with the experimental observation, we identify the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111). Our work demonstrates an application of combining nc-AFM measurements and DFT calculations to the study of standing molecules on substrates, which enriches our knowledge of the adsorption behaviors of small molecules on solid surfaces at low temperatures.

Low-temperature growth of large-scale,single-crystalline graphene on Ir(111)

Iridium is a promising substrate for self-limiting growth of graphene. However, single-crystalline graphene can only be fabricated over 1120 K. The weak interaction between graphene and Ir makes it challenging to grow graphene with a single orientation at a relatively low temperature. Here, we report the growth of large-scale, single-crystalline graphene on Ir(111) substrate at a temperature as low as 800 K using an oxygen-etching assisted epitaxial growth method. We firstly grow polycrystalline graphene on Ir. The subsequent exposure of oxygen leads to etching of the misaligned domains.Additional growth cycle, in which the leftover aligned domain serves as a nucleation center, results in a large-scale and single-crystalline graphene layer on Ir(111). Low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy experiments confirm the successful growth of large-scale and single-crystalline graphene. In addition, the fabricated single-crystalline graphene is transferred onto a SiO_2/Si substrate. Transport measurements on the transferred graphene show a carrier mobility of about 3300 cm^2·V^(-1)·s^(-1). This work provides a way for the synthesis of large-scale,high-quality graphene on weak-coupled metal substrates.

Dirac states from p_(x,y)orbitals in the buckled honeycomb structures:A tight-binding model and first-principles combined study

Dirac states composed of Px,y orbitals have been reported in many two-dimensional （2D） systems with honeycomb lattices recently. Their potential importance has aroused strong interest in a comprehensive understanding of such states. Here, we construct a four-band tight-binding model for the Px,y-orbital Dirac states considering both the nearest neighbor hopping interactions and the lattice-buckling effect. We find that Px,y-orbital Dirac states are accompanied with two addi- tional narrow bands that are flat in the limit of vanishing n bonding, which is in agreement with previous studies. Most importantly, we analytically obtain the linear dispersion relationship between energy and momentum vector near the Dirac cone. We find that the Fermi velocity is determined not only by the hopping through n bonding but also by the hopping through ~ bonding of Px,y orbitals, which is in contrast to the case of pz-orbital Dirac states. Consequently, Px,y-orbital Dirac states offer more flexible engineering, with the Fermi velocity being more sensitive to the changes of lattice constants and buckling angles, if strain is exerted. We further validate our tight-binding scheme by direct first-principles calcula- tions of model-materials including hydrogenated monolayer Bi and Sb honeycomb lattices. Our work provides a more in-depth understanding of Px,y-orbital Dirac states in honeycomb lattices, which is useful for the applications of this family of materials in nanoelectronics.

Substrate tuned reconstructed polymerization of naphthalocyanine on Ag(110)

The linkage structures between monomers make great influence on the properties of polymers.The synthesis of some special linkage structures can be challenging,which is often overcome by employing special reaction conditions.Here,we build dihydropentalene linkage in poly-naphthalocyanine on Ag(110)surface.Scanning tunneling microscopy(STM)and non-contact atomic force microscopy(nc-AFM)measurements confirm the dihydropentalene linkage structure and a possible formation path with reconstruction steps is proposed.The controlled experiment on Ag(100)surface shows no dihydropentalene structures formed,which indicates the grooved substrate is necessary for the reconstruction.This work provides insights into the surface restricted reactions that can yield special structures in organic polymers.

Fabrication of sulfur-doped cove-edged graphene nanoribbons on Au(111)

The on-surface synthesis from predesigned organic precursors can yield graphene nanoribbons(GNRs)with atomically precise widths,edge terminations and dopants,which facilitate the tunning of their electronic structures.Here,we report the synthesis of novel sulfur-doped cove-edged GNRs(S-CGNRs)on Au(111)from a specifically designed precursor containing thiophene rings.Scanning tunneling microscopy and non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements elucidate the formation of S-CGNRs through subsequent polymerization and cyclodehydrogenation,which further result in crosslinked branched structures.Scanning tunneling spectroscopy results reveal the conduction band minimum of the S-CGNR locates at 1.2 e V.First-principles calculations show that the S-CGNR possesses an energy bandgap of 1.17 e V,which is evidently smaller than that of an undoped cove-edged GNR(1.7 e V),suggesting effective tuning of the bandgap by introducing sulfur atoms.Further increasing the coverage of precursors close to a monolayer results in the formation of linear-shaped S-CGNRs.The fabrication of S-CGNRs provides one more candidate in the GNR toolbox and promotes the future applications of heteroatom-doped graphene nanostructures.

Monolayer MoS_(2)of high mobility grown on SiO_(2)substrate by two-step chemical vapor deposition

We report a novel two-step ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition(CVD)pathway to grow high-quality Mo S_(2)monolayer on the Si O_(2)substrate with large crystal size up to 110μm.The large specific surface area of the pre-synthesized Mo O_(3)flakes on the mica substrate compared to Mo O_(3)powder could dramatically reduce the consumption of the Mo source.The electronic information inferred from the four-probe scanning tunneling microscope(4P-STM)image explains the threshold voltage variations and the n-type behavior observed in the two-terminal transport measurements.Furthermore,the direct van der Pauw transport also confirms its relatively high carrier mobility.Our study provides a reliable method to synthesize high-quality Mo S_(2)monolayer,which is confirmed by the direct 4P-STM measurement results.Such methodology is a key step toward the large-scale growth of transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)on the Si O_(2)substrate and is essential to further development of the TMDs-related integrated devices.

Laser-induced phase conversion of n-type SnSe_(2)to p-type SnSe

We report a facile phase conversion method that can locally convert n-type SnSe_(2)into p-type SnSe by direct laser irradiation.Raman spectra of SnSe_(2)flakes before and after laser irradiation confirm the phase conversion of SnSe_(2)to SnSe.By performing the laser irradiation on SnSe_(2)flakes at different temperatures,it is found that laser heating effect induces the removal of Se atoms from SnSe_(2)and results in the phase conversion of SnSe_(2)to SnSe.Lattice-revolved transmission electron microscope images of SnSe_(2)flakes before and after laser irradiation further confirm such conversion.By selective laser irradiation on SnSe_(2)flakes,a pattern with SnSe_(2)/SnSe heteostructures is created.This indicates that the laser induced phase conversion technique has relatively high spatial resolution and enables the creation of micron-sized in-plane p-n junction at predefined region.

Edge-and strain-induced band bending in bilayer-monolayer Pb_(2)Se_(3) heterostructures

By using scanning tunneling microscope/microscopy(STM/STS), we reveal the detailed electronic structures around the sharp edges and strained terraces of lateral monolayer-bilayer Pd_(2)Se_(3) heterostructures. We find that the edges of such heterostructures are well-defined zigzag type. Band bending and alignment are observed across the zigzag edge, forming a monolayer-bilayer heterojunction. In addition, an n-type band bending is induced by strain on a confined bilayer Pd_(2)Se_(3) terrace. These results provide effective toolsets to tune the band structures in Pd_(2)Se_(3)-based heterostructures and devices.

Construction of monolayer IrTe2 and the structural transition under low temperatures

Bulk iridium ditelluride(IrTe2)is a layered material and is known for its interesting electronic and structural properties,such as large spin-orbit coupling,charge ordering,and superconductivity.However,so far there is no experimental study about the fabrication of monolayer IrTe2.Here we report the formation of IrTe2 monolayer on Ir(111)substrate by direct tellurization method.Scanning tunneling microscope(STM)images show the coexistence of 1/5 phase and 1/6 phase structures of IrTe2 at room temperature.We also obtained STM images showing distorted stripe feature under low temperatures.This stripe feature is possibly induced by the strain between the IrTe2 monolayer and the metal substrate.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations show that the IrTe2 monolayer has strong interaction with the underlying Ir(111)substrate.