40 research outputs found
Spin-orbit-driven band inversion in bilayer graphene by the van der Waals proximity effect.
Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is the key to realizing time-reversal-invariant topological phases of matter1,2. SOC was predicted by Kane and Mele3 to stabilize a quantum spin Hall insulator; however, the weak intrinsic SOC in monolayer graphene4-7 has precluded experimental observation in this material. Here we exploit a layer-selective proximity effect-achieved via a van der Waals contact with a semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide8-21-to engineer Kane-Mele SOC in ultra clean bilayer graphene. Using high-resolution capacitance measurements to probe the bulk electronic compressibility, we find that SOC leads to the formation of a distinct, incompressible, gapped phase at charge neutrality. The experimental data agree quantitatively with a simple theoretical model in which the new phase results from SOC-driven band inversion. In contrast to Kane-Mele SOC in monolayer graphene, the inverted phase is not expected to be a time-reversal-invariant topological insulator, despite being separated from conventional band insulators by electric-field-tuned phase transitions where crystal symmetry mandates that the bulk gap must close22. Our electrical transport measurements reveal that the inverted phase has a conductivity of approximately e2/h (where e is the electron charge and h Planck's constant), which is suppressed by exceptionally small in-plane magnetic fields. The high conductivity and anomalous magnetoresistance are consistent with theoretical models that predict helical edge states within the inverted phase that are protected from backscattering by an emergent spin symmetry that remains robust even for large Rashba SOC. Our results pave the way for proximity engineering of strong topological insulators as well as correlated quantum phases in the strong spin-orbit regime in graphene heterostructures
Variation in superconducting transition temperature due to tetragonal domains in two-dimensionally doped SrTiO<sub>3</sub>
Strontium titanate is a low-temperature, non-Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer
superconductor that superconducts to carrier concentrations lower than in any
other system and exhibits avoided ferroelectricity at low temperatures. Neither
the mechanism of superconductivity in strontium titanate nor the importance of
the structure and dielectric properties for the superconductivity are well
understood. We studied the effects of twin structure on superconductivity in a
5.5-nm-thick layer of niobium-doped SrTiO embedded in undoped
SrTiO. We used a scanning superconducting quantum interference device
susceptometer to image the local diamagnetic response of the sample as a
function of temperature. We observed regions that exhibited a superconducting
transition temperature 10% higher than the temperature at
which the sample was fully superconducting. The pattern of these regions varied
spatially in a manner characteristic of structural twin domains. Our results
emphasize that the anisotropic dielectric properties of SrTiO are
important for its superconductivity, and need to be considered in any theory of
the mechanism of the superconductivity.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, Supplemental Information available at
http://stanford.edu/group/moler/papers/Noad_STOsuperconductivity_SI.pd
Spin-orbit driven band inversion in bilayer graphene by van der Waals proximity effect
Spin orbit coupling (SOC) is the key to realizing time-reversal invariant
topological phases of matter. Famously, SOC was predicted by Kane and Mele to
stabilize a quantum spin Hall insulator; however, the weak intrinsic SOC in
monolayer graphene has precluded experimental observation. Here, we exploit a
layer-selective proximity effect---achieved via van der Waals contact to a
semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide--to engineer Kane-Mele SOC in
ultra-clean \textit{bilayer} graphene. Using high-resolution capacitance
measurements to probe the bulk electronic compressibility, we find that SOC
leads to the formation of a distinct incompressible, gapped phase at charge
neutrality. The experimental data agrees quantitatively with a simple
theoretical model in which the new phase results from SOC-driven band
inversion. In contrast to Kane-Mele SOC in monolayer graphene, the inverted
phase is not expected to be a time reversal invariant topological insulator,
despite being separated from conventional band insulators by electric field
tuned phase transitions where crystal symmetry mandates that the bulk gap must
close. Electrical transport measurements, conspicuously, reveal that the
inverted phase has a conductivity , which is suppressed by
exceptionally small in-plane magnetic fields. The high conductivity and
anomalous magnetoresistance are consistent with theoretical models that predict
helical edge states within the inversted phase, that are protected from
backscattering by an emergent spin symmetry that remains robust even for large
Rashba SOC. Our results pave the way for proximity engineering of strong
topological insulators as well as correlated quantum phases in the strong
spin-orbit regime in graphene heterostructures.Comment: 7 pages of main text + 13 pages supplementary material and figures.
More information available at http://www.afylab.com/publications
One-dimensional Topological Edge States of Bismuth Bilayers
The hallmark of a time-reversal symmetry protected topologically insulating
state of matter in two-dimensions (2D) is the existence of chiral edge modes
propagating along the perimeter of the system. To date, evidence for such
electronic modes has come from experiments on semiconducting heterostructures
in the topological phase which showed approximately quantized values of the
overall conductance as well as edge-dominated current flow. However, there have
not been any spectroscopic measurements to demonstrate the one-dimensional (1D)
nature of the edge modes. Among the first systems predicted to be a 2D
topological insulator are bilayers of bismuth (Bi) and there have been recent
experimental indications of possible topological boundary states at their
edges. However, the experiments on such bilayers suffered from irregular
structure of their edges or the coupling of the edge states to substrate's bulk
states. Here we report scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments which
show that a subset of the predicted Bi-bilayers' edge states are decoupled from
states of Bi substrate and provide direct spectroscopic evidence of their 1D
nature. Moreover, by visualizing the quantum interference of edge mode
quasi-particles in confined geometries, we demonstrate their remarkable
coherent propagation along the edge with scattering properties that are
consistent with strong suppression of backscattering as predicted for the
propagating topological edge states.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, and supplementary materia
Euphoric defiance: the role of positive emotions in the British Eurosceptic discourse
Ever since Britain voted to leave the European Union, emotions have dominated the public debate. How negative emotions, such as anger, have impacted the Brexit vote, has been widely researched. Less attention has been focused on the role positive emotions played in debating Britain?s relationship to the EU. Using critical discourse analysis and drawing on appraisal theory to investigate the representation of emotions in six sample texts from a corpus of so-called ?Euromyths? (N=334), this study argues that positive emotions were used to create a myth in Roland Barthes? sense to naturalise a Eurosceptic ideology of British defiance and power
Control of maternal Zika virus infection during pregnancy is associated with lower antibody titers in a macaque model
IntroductionZika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy results in a spectrum of birth defects and neurodevelopmental deficits in prenatally exposed infants, with no clear understanding of why some pregnancies are more severely affected. Differential control of maternal ZIKV infection may explain the spectrum of adverse outcomes.MethodsHere, we investigated whether the magnitude and breadth of the maternal ZIKV-specific antibody response is associated with better virologic control using a rhesus macaque model of prenatal ZIKV infection. We inoculated 18 dams with an Asian-lineage ZIKV isolate (PRVABC59) at 30-45 gestational days. Plasma vRNA and infectious virus kinetics were determined over the course of pregnancy, as well as vRNA burden in the maternal-fetal interface (MFI) at delivery. Binding and neutralizing antibody assays were performed to determine the magnitude of the ZIKV-specific IgM and IgG antibody responses throughout pregnancy, along with peptide microarray assays to define the breadth of linear ZIKV epitopes recognized.ResultsDams with better virologic control (n= 9) cleared detectable infectious virus and vRNA from the plasma by 7 days post-infection (DPI) and had a lower vRNA burden in the MFI at delivery. In comparison, dams with worse virologic control (n= 9) still cleared detectable infectious virus from the plasma by 7 DPI but had vRNA that persisted longer, and had higher vRNA burden in the MFI at delivery. The magnitudes of the ZIKV-specific antibody responses were significantly lower in the dams with better virologic control, suggesting that higher antibody titers are not associated with better control of ZIKV infection. Additionally, the breadth of the ZIKV linear epitopes recognized did not differ between the dams with better and worse control of ZIKV infection.DiscussionThus, the magnitude and breadth of the maternal antibody responses do not seem to impact maternal virologic control. This may be because control of maternal infection is determined in the first 7 DPI, when detectable infectious virus is present and before robust antibody responses are generated. However, the presence of higher ZIKV-specific antibody titers in dams with worse virologic control suggests that these could be used as a biomarker of poor maternal control of infection and should be explored further