Vacancy-Induced Tunable Kondo Effect in Twisted Bilayer Graphene.

In single sheets of graphene, vacancy-induced states have been shown to host an effective spin-1/2 hole that can be Kondo screened at low temperatures. Here, we show how these vacancy-induced impurity states survive in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG), which thus provides a tunable system to probe the critical destruction of the Kondo effect in pseudogap hosts. Ab initio calculations and atomic-scale modeling are used to determine the nature of the vacancy states in the vicinity of the magic angle in TBG, demonstrating that the vacancy can be treated as a quantum impurity.

Proximity induced charge density wave in a graphene/1T-TaS heterostructure.

The proximity-effect, whereby materials in contact appropriate each other's electronic-properties, is widely used to induce correlated states, such as superconductivity or magnetism, at heterostructure interfaces. Thus far however, demonstrating the existence of proximity-induced charge-density-waves (PI-CDW) proved challenging. This is due to competing effects, such as screening or co-tunneling into the parent material, that obscured its presence.

Cryogen-free modular scanning tunneling microscope operating at 4-K in high magnetic field on a compact ultra-high vacuum platform.

One of the daunting challenges in modern low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is the difficulty of combining atomic resolution with cryogen-free cooling. Further functionality needs, such as ultra-high vacuum (UHV), high magnetic field (HF), and compatibility with μm-sized samples, pose additional challenges to an already ambitious build. We present the design, construction, and performance of a cryogen-free, UHV, low temperature, and high magnetic field system for modular STM operation.

Quick-connect scanning tunneling microscope head with nested piezoelectric coarse walkers.

To meet changing research demands, new scanning tunneling microscope (STM) features must constantly evolve. We describe the design, development, and performance of a modular plug-in STM, which is compact and stable. The STM head is equipped with a quick-connect socket that is matched to a universal connector plug, enabling it to be transferred between systems.

Spatial Interactions in Hydrogenated Perovskite Nickelate Synaptic Networks.

A key aspect of how the brain learns and enables decision-making processes is through synaptic interactions. Electrical transmission and communication in a network of synapses are modulated by extracellular fields generated by ionic chemical gradients. Emulating such spatial interactions in synthetic networks can be of potential use for neuromorphic learning and the hardware implementation of artificial intelligence.

Moiré Potential, Lattice Relaxation, and Layer Polarization in Marginally Twisted MoS Bilayers.

Artificially twisted heterostructures of semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offer unprecedented control over their electronic and optical properties via the spatial modulation of interlayer interactions and structural reconstruction. Here we study twisted MoS bilayers in a wide range of twist angles near 0° using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. We investigate the twist angle dependence of the moiré pattern, which is dominated by lattice reconstruction for small angles (<2°), leading to large triangular domains with rhombohedral stacking.

Intrinsic (Trap-Free) Transistors Based on Epitaxial Single-Crystal Perovskites.

The first experimental realization of the intrinsic (not dominated by defects) charge conduction regime in lead-halide perovskite field-effect transistors (FETs) is reported. The advance is enabled by: i) a new vapor-phase epitaxy technique that results in large-area single-crystalline cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr ) films with excellent structural and surface properties, including atomically flat surface morphology, essentially free from defects and traps at the level relevant to device operation; ii) an extensive materials analysis of these films using a variety of thin-film and surface probes certifying the chemical and structural quality of the material; and iii) the fabrication of nearly ideal (trap-free) FETs with characteristics superior to any reported to date. These devices allow the investigation of the intrinsic FET and (gated) Hall-effect carrier mobilities as functions of temperature.

Flat band carrier confinement in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene has emerged as a powerful platform for studying strongly correlated electron physics, owing to its almost dispersionless low-energy bands and the ability to tune the band filling by electrostatic gating. Techniques to control the twist angle between graphene layers have led to rapid experimental progress but improving sample quality is essential for separating the delicate correlated electron physics from disorder effects. Owing to the 2D nature of the system and the relatively low carrier density, the samples are highly susceptible to small doping inhomogeneity which can drastically modify the local potential landscape.

Charge Density Wave Vortex Lattice Observed in Graphene-Passivated 1T-TaS by Ambient Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.

The nearly commensurate charge density wave (CDW) excitations native to the transition-metal dichalcogenide crystal, 1T-TaS, under ambient conditions are revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) measurements of a graphene/TaS heterostructure. Surface potential measurements show that the graphene passivation layer prevents oxidation of the air-sensitive 1T-TaS surface. The graphene protective layer does not however interfere with probing the native electronic properties of 1T-TaS by STM/STS, which revealed that nearly commensurate CDW hosts an array of vortex-like topological defects.

Author Correction: Chern insulators, van Hove singularities and topological flat bands in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-021-00997-2.

Chern insulators, van Hove singularities and topological flat bands in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene exhibits intriguing quantum phase transitions triggered by enhanced electron-electron interactions when its flat bands are partially filled. However, the phases themselves and their connection to the putative non-trivial topology of the flat bands are largely unexplored. Here we report transport measurements revealing a succession of doping-induced Lifshitz transitions that are accompanied by van Hove singularities, which facilitate the emergence of correlation-induced gaps and topologically non-trivial subbands.

Graphene bilayers with a twist.

Near a magic twist angle, bilayer graphene transforms from a weakly correlated Fermi liquid to a strongly correlated two-dimensional electron system with properties that are extraordinarily sensitive to carrier density and to controllable environmental factors such as the proximity of nearby gates and twist-angle variation. Among other phenomena, magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene hosts superconductivity, interaction-induced insulating states, magnetism, electronic nematicity, linear-in-temperature low-temperature resistivity and quantized anomalous Hall states. We highlight some key research results in this field, point to important questions that remain open and comment on the place of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene in the strongly correlated quantum matter world.

Evidence of flat bands and correlated states in buckled graphene superlattices.

Two-dimensional atomic crystals can radically change their properties in response to external influences, such as substrate orientation or strain, forming materials with novel electronic structure. An example is the creation of weakly dispersive, 'flat' bands in bilayer graphene for certain 'magic' angles of twist between the orientations of the two layers. The quenched kinetic energy in these flat bands promotes electron-electron interactions and facilitates the emergence of strongly correlated phases, such as superconductivity and correlated insulators.

Inducing Kondo screening of vacancy magnetic moments in graphene with gating and local curvature.

In normal metals the magnetic moment of impurity-spins disappears below a characteristic Kondo temperature which marks the formation of a cloud of conduction-band electrons that screen the local-moment. In contrast, moments embedded in insulators remain unscreened at all temperatures. What then is the fate of magnetic-moments in intermediate, pseudogap systems, such as graphene? Theory predicts that coupling to the conduction-band electrons will drive a quantum phase transition between a local-moment phase and a Kondo-screened phase.

Tuning a circular p-n junction in graphene from quantum confinement to optical guiding.

The photon-like propagation of the Dirac electrons in graphene, together with its record-high electronic mobility, can lead to applications based on ultrafast electronic response and low dissipation. However, the chiral nature of the charge carriers that is responsible for the high mobility also makes it difficult to control their motion and prevents electronic switching. Here, we show how to manipulate the charge carriers by using a circular p-n junction whose size can be continuously tuned from the nanometre to the micrometre scale.

Visualizing Strain-Induced Pseudomagnetic Fields in Graphene through an hBN Magnifying Glass.

Graphene's remarkable properties are inherent to its two-dimensional honeycomb lattice structure. Its low dimensionality, which makes it possible to rearrange the atoms by applying an external force, offers the intriguing prospect of mechanically controlling the electronic properties. In the presence of strain, graphene develops a pseudomagnetic field (PMF) that reconstructs the band structure into pseudo Landau levels (PLLs).

Nanoscale Internal Fields in a Biased Graphene-Insulator-Semiconductor Structure.

Measuring and understanding electric fields in multilayered materials at the nanoscale remains a challenging problem impeding the development of novel devices. At this scale, it is far from obvious that materials can be accurately described by their intrinsic bulk properties, and considerations of the interfaces between layered materials become unavoidable for a complete description of the system's electronic properties. Here, a general approach to the direct measurement of nanoscale internal fields is proposed.

Local, global, and nonlinear screening in twisted double-layer graphene.

One-atom-thick crystalline layers and their vertical heterostructures carry the promise of designer electronic materials that are unattainable by standard growth techniques. To realize their potential it is necessary to isolate them from environmental disturbances, in particular those introduced by the substrate. However, finding and characterizing suitable substrates, and minimizing the random potential fluctuations they introduce, has been a persistent challenge in this emerging field.

MoS 2 MoS2: choice substrate for accessing and tuning the electronic properties of graphene.

One of the enduring challenges in graphene research and applications is the extreme sensitivity of its charge carriers to external perturbations, especially those introduced by the substrate. The best available substrates to date, graphite and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), still pose limitations: graphite being metallic does not allow gating, while both h-BN and graphite, having lattice structures closely matched to that of graphene, may cause significant band structure reconstruction. Here we show that the atomically smooth surface of exfoliated MoS(2) provides access to the intrinsic electronic structure of graphene without these drawbacks.

Bandgap, mid-gap states, and gating effects in MoS2.

The discovery of graphene has put the spotlight on other layered materials including transition metal dichalcogenites (TMD) as building blocks for novel heterostructures assembled from stacked atomic layers. Molybdenum disulfide, MoS2, a semiconductor in the TMD family, with its remarkable thermal and chemical stability and high mobility, has emerged as a promising candidate for postsilicon applications such as switching, photonics, and flexible electronics. Because these rely on controlling the position of the Fermi energy (EF), it is crucial to understand its dependence on doping and gating.

Screening charged impurities and lifting the orbital degeneracy in graphene by populating Landau levels.

We report the observation of an isolated charged impurity in graphene and present direct evidence of the close connection between the screening properties of a 2D electron system and the influence of the impurity on its electronic environment. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and Landau level spectroscopy, we demonstrate that in the presence of a magnetic field the strength of the impurity can be tuned by controlling the occupation of Landau-level states with a gate voltage. At low occupation the impurity is screened, becoming essentially invisible.

Evolution of Landau levels into edge states in graphene.

Two-dimensional electron systems in the presence of a magnetic field support topologically ordered states, in which the coexistence of an insulating bulk with conducting one-dimensional chiral edge states gives rise to the quantum Hall effect. For systems confined by sharp boundaries, theory predicts a unique edge-bulk correspondence, which is central to proposals of quantum Hall-based topological qubits. However, in conventional semiconductor-based two-dimensional electron systems, these elegant concepts are difficult to realize, because edge-state reconstruction due to soft boundaries destroys the edge-bulk correspondence.