297 research outputs found
Approaching quantum anomalous Hall effect in proximity-coupled YIG/graphene/h-BN sandwich structure
Quantum anomalous Hall state is expected to emerge in Dirac electron systems
such as graphene under both sufficiently strong exchange and spin-orbit
interactions. In pristine graphene, neither interaction exists; however, both
interactions can be acquired by coupling graphene to a magnetic insulator (MI)
as revealed by the anomalous Hall effect. Here, we show enhanced magnetic
proximity coupling by sandwiching graphene between a ferrimagnetic insulator
yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) which also serves
as a top gate dielectric. By sweeping the top-gate voltage, we observe Fermi
level-dependent anomalous Hall conductance. As the Dirac point is approached
from both electron and hole sides, the anomalous Hall conductance reaches 1/4
of the quantum anomalous Hall conductance 2e2/h. The exchange coupling strength
is determined to be as high as 27 meV from the transition temperature of the
induced magnetic phase. YIG/graphene/h-BN is an excellent heterostructure for
demonstrating proximity-induced interactions in two-dimensional electron
systems
Electric Switching of the Charge-Density-Wave and Normal Metallic Phases in Tantalum Disulfide Thin-Film Devices
We report on switching among three charge-density-wave phases - commensurate,
nearly commensurate, incommensurate - and the high-temperature normal metallic
phase in thin-film 1T-TaS2 devices induced by application of an in-plane
electric field. The electric switching among all phases has been achieved over
a wide temperature range, from 77 K to 400 K. The low-frequency electronic
noise spectroscopy has been used as an effective tool for monitoring the
transitions, particularly the switching from the incommensurate
charge-density-wave phase to the normal metal phase. The noise spectral density
exhibits sharp increases at the phase transition points, which correspond to
the step-like changes in resistivity. Assignment of the phases is consistent
with low-field resistivity measurements over the temperature range from 77 K to
600 K. Analysis of the experimental data and calculations of heat dissipation
suggest that Joule heating plays a dominant role in the electric-field induced
transitions in the tested 1T-TaS2 devices on Si/SiO2 substrates. The
possibility of electrical switching among four different phases of 1T-TaS2 is a
promising step toward nanoscale device applications. The results also
demonstrate the potential of noise spectroscopy for investigating and
identifying phase transitions in materials.Comment: 32 pages, 7 figure
Scanning Tunnelling Spectroscopic Studies of Dirac Fermions in Graphene and Topological Insulators
We report novel properties derived from scanning tunnelling spectroscopic (STS) studies of Dirac fermions in graphene and the surface state (SS) of a strong topological insulator (STI), Bi_2Se_3. For mono-layer graphene grown on Cu by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), strain-induced scalar and gauge potentials are manifested by the charging effects and the tunnelling conductance peaks at quantized energies, respectively. Additionally, spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking is evidenced by the alternating anti-localization and localization spectra associated with the zero-mode of two sublattices while global time-reversal symmetry is preserved under the presence of pseudo-magnetic fields. For Bi_2Se_3 epitaxial films grown on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), spatially localized unitary impurity resonances with sensitive dependence on the energy difference between the Fermi level and the Dirac point are observed for samples thicker than 6 quintuple layers (QL). These findings are characteristic of the SS of a STI and are direct manifestation of strong topological protection against impurities. For samples thinner than 6-QL, STS studies reveal the openup of an energy gap in the SS due to overlaps of wave functions between the surface and interface layers. Additionally, spin-preserving quasiparticle interference wave-vectors are observed, which are consistent with the Rashba-like spin-orbit splitting
Quantum Transport through Organic Molecules
We explore electron transport properties for the model of benzene-1,
4-dithiolate (BDT) molecule and for some other geometric models of benzene
molecule attached to two semi-infinite one-dimensional metallic electrodes
using the Green's function formalism. An analytic approach, based on a simple
tight-binding framework, is presented to describe electron transport through
the molecular wires. Electronic transport in such molecular systems is strongly
affected by the geometry of the molecules as well as their coupling to the
side-attached electrodes. Conductance reveals resonant peaks associated with
the molecular energy eigenstates providing several complex spectra. Current
passing through the molecules shows staircase-like behavior with sharp steps in
the weak molecule-to-electrode coupling limit, while it varies quite
continuously with the applied bias voltage in the limit of strong molecular
coupling. In the presence of transverse magnetic field, conductance exhibits
oscillatory behavior with flux , threaded by the molecular ring, showing
() flux-quantum periodicity. Though, conductance changes in the
presence of transverse magnetic field, but the current-voltage characteristics
are not significantly affected by this field.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
Paraconductivity in Carbon Nanotubes
We report the calculation of paraconductivity in carbon nanotubes above the
superconducting transition temperature. The complex behavior of
paraconductivity depending upon the tube radius, temperature and magnetic field
strength is analyzed. The results are qualitatively compared with recent
experimental observations in carbon nanotubes of an inherent transition to the
superconducting state and pronounced thermodynamic fluctuations above .
The application of our results to single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes
as well as ropes of nanotubes is discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur
Quantized Adiabatic Charge Transport in a Carbon Nanotube
The coupling of a metallic Carbon nanotube to a surface acoustic wave (SAW)
is proposed as a vehicle to realize quantized adiabatic charge transport in a
Luttinger liquid system. We demonstrate that electron backscattering by a
periodic SAW potential, which results in miniband formation, can be achieved at
energies near the Fermi level. Electron interaction, treated in a Luttinger
liquid framework, is shown to enhance minigaps and thereby improve current
quantization. Quantized SAW induced current, as a function of electron density,
changes sign at half-filling.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Pressure dependence of the thermoelectric power of single-walled carbon nanotubes
We have measured the thermoelectric power (S) of high purity single-walled
carbon nanotube mats as a function of temperature at various hydrostatic
pressures up to 2.0 GPa. The thermoelectric power is positive, and it increases
in a monotonic way with increasing temperature for all pressures. The low
temperature (T < 40 K) linear thermoelectric power is pressure independent and
is characteristic for metallic nanotubes. At higher temperatures it is enhanced
and though S(T) is linear again above about 100 K it has a nonzero intercept.
This enhancement is strongly pressure dependent and is related to the change of
the phonon population with hydrostatic pressure.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Self-assembly of carbon nanotubes into two-dimensional geometries using DNA origami templates
A central challenge in nanotechnology is the parallel fabrication of complex geometries for nanodevices. Here we report a general method for arranging single-walled carbon nanotubes in two dimensions using DNA origami—a technique in which a long single strand of DNA is folded into a predetermined shape. We synthesize rectangular origami templates (~75 nm × 95 nm) that display two lines of single-stranded DNA ‘hooks’ in a cross pattern with ~6 nm resolution. The perpendicular lines of hooks serve as sequence-specific binding sites for two types of nanotubes, each functionalized non-covalently with a distinct DNA linker molecule. The hook-binding domain of each linker is protected to ensure efficient hybridization. When origami templates and DNA-functionalized nanotubes are mixed, strand displacement-mediated deprotection and binding aligns the nanotubes into cross-junctions. Of several cross-junctions synthesized by this method, one demonstrated stable field-effect transistor-like behaviour. In such organizations of electronic components, DNA origami serves as a programmable nanobreadboard; thus, DNA origami may allow the rapid prototyping of complex nanotube-based structures
Scanned Probe Microscopy of Electronic Transport in Carbon Nanotubes
We use electrostatic force microscopy and scanned gate microscopy to probe
the conducting properties of carbon nanotubes at room temperature. Multi-walled
carbon nanotubes are shown to be diffusive conductors, while metallic
single-walled carbon nanotubes are ballistic conductors over micron lengths.
Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are shown to have a series of
large barriers to conduction along their length. These measurements are also
used to probe the contact resistance and locate breaks in carbon nanotube
circuits.Comment: 4 page
- …