Achieving environmental stability in an atomically thin quantum spin Hall insulator via graphene intercalation.
Journal
Nature communications
ISSN: 2041-1723
Titre abrégé: Nat Commun
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101528555
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024
Historique:
received:
31
05
2023
accepted:
30
01
2024
medline:
20
2
2024
pubmed:
20
2
2024
entrez:
19
2
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Atomic monolayers on semiconductor surfaces represent an emerging class of functional quantum materials in the two-dimensional limit - ranging from superconductors and Mott insulators to ferroelectrics and quantum spin Hall insulators. Indenene, a triangular monolayer of indium with a gap of ~ 120 meV is a quantum spin Hall insulator whose micron-scale epitaxial growth on SiC(0001) makes it technologically relevant. However, its suitability for room-temperature spintronics is challenged by the instability of its topological character in air. It is imperative to develop a strategy to protect the topological nature of indenene during ex situ processing and device fabrication. Here we show that intercalation of indenene into epitaxial graphene provides effective protection from the oxidising environment, while preserving an intact topological character. Our approach opens a rich realm of ex situ experimental opportunities, priming monolayer quantum spin Hall insulators for realistic device fabrication and access to topologically protected edge channels.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38374074
doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45816-9
pii: 10.1038/s41467-024-45816-9
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1486Subventions
Organisme : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
ID : 390858490
Organisme : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
ID : 258499086
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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