拓扑绝缘体薄膜和有限尺寸效应

拓扑绝缘体是近年来发现的一类新的量子材料,已成为凝聚态物理的研究热点领域.厚度仅几纳米的拓扑绝缘体薄膜不但具有奇特的物理性质,而且还是拓扑绝缘体应用于平面器件的基础.文章以Bi2Se3为例,介绍了Bi2Se3家族拓扑绝缘体薄膜的分子束外延生长以及其能带、自旋结构和拓扑性质随层厚的演化.这些结果为人工调控拓扑绝缘体的电子结构和物理性质提供了指导.     

在预刻蚀的衬底上通过分子束外延直接生长出拓扑绝缘体薄膜的微器件

在利用光刻将拓扑绝缘体外延薄膜加工成微米尺寸结构的过程中,所用的各种化学物质会导致薄膜质量的下降.在实验中,通过在钛酸锶衬底上预先光刻出Hall bar形状的凸平台并以此为模板进行拓扑绝缘体(Bi x Sb1-x)2Te3薄膜的分子束外延生长,直接获得了薄膜的Hall bar微器件,从而避免了光刻过程对材料质量的影响.原子力显微镜和输运测量结果均显示该微器件保持了(Bi x Sb1-x)2Te3外延薄膜原有的性质.这种新的微器件制备方法有助于在拓扑绝缘体中实现各种新奇的量子效应,并可推广于其他外延生长的低维系统.     

单轴压力下Ge2X2Te5(X=Sb,Bi)薄膜拓扑相变的第一性原理研究

随着拓扑绝缘体的发现, 材料拓扑物性的研究成为凝聚态物理研究的热点领域. 本文基于第一性原理计算, 研究了化合物Ge₂X₂Te₅ (X=Sb, Bi) 的块体结构和二维单层和双层薄膜结构的拓扑物性, 以及单双层薄膜在垂直方向单轴压力下的拓扑量子相变. 研究发现, A型原子序列排列的这两种化合物都是拓扑绝缘体, 其单层薄膜都是普通金属, 而双层薄膜都是拓扑金属, 单层和双层薄膜在单轴加压过程中都没有发生拓扑量子相变; 这两种化合物的B型原子序列的晶体是普通绝缘体, 其所对应的薄膜, Ge₂Sb₂Te₅单层是普通金属, 双层薄膜和Ge₂Bi₂Te₅的单层和双层薄膜均为普通绝缘体, 但是在单轴加压过程中B 型原子序列所对应的单层和双层薄膜都转变为拓扑金属.     

单层二维量子自旋霍尔绝缘体1T'-WTe2研究进展

量子自旋霍尔效应通常存在于二维拓扑绝缘体中,其具有受拓扑保护的无耗散螺旋边界态. 2014年,理论预言单层1T’相过渡金属硫族化合物是一类新型的二维量子自旋霍尔绝缘体.其中,以单层1T’-WTe₂为代表的材料体系具有原子结构稳定、体带隙显著、拓扑性质易于调控等许多独特的优势,对低功耗自旋电子器件的发展具有重要的意义.本文总结了单层1T’-WTe₂在实验上的最新进展,包括基于分子束外延生长的材料制备,螺旋边界态的探测及其对磁场的响应,掺杂、应力等手段在单层1T’-WTe₂中诱导出的新奇量子物态等.也对单层1T’-WTe₂未来可能的应用前景进行了展望.     

生长在Cd(0001)和Bi(111)上的二氰基蒽分子薄膜的对比

分子与衬底之间的相互作用在有机薄膜的生长过程中起着非常重要的作用.对于金属衬底和半金属衬底来说,由于不同的电子结构,二者与分子薄膜之间的相互作用会有明显的差异.本文利用扫描隧道显微镜对比研究了二氰基蒽(DCA)分子在金属衬底Cd(0001)和半金属衬底Bi(111)上的薄膜生长.实验发现,在Cd(0001)衬底上,低温沉积的DCA薄膜表现出三维生长模式,而室温沉积的DCA薄膜表现出二维生长模式.特别是DCA分子单层具有斜方对称的4×(13)(¹/2)公度结构,表明DCA与Cd(0001)之间存在较强的相互作用.与此形成鲜明对比的是,在半金属Bi(111)衬底上,低温沉积的DCA薄膜表现出二维生长模式,在分子单层中有莫尔条纹出现,表明DCA单层是一种非公度结构, DCA与Bi(111)之间的相互作用较弱.通过上述的对比研究可以看出,衬底材料的电子结构和沉积温度均可影响DCA分子薄膜的结构和生长模式.     

拓扑绝缘体薄膜生长与栅电压调控输运特性研究

文章讨论了三维拓扑绝缘体制备和输运性质研究方面的进展情况.首先介绍了拓扑绝缘体体材料和薄膜的制备,并介绍了文章作者利用分子束外延方法,在硅表面以及高介电常数材料钛酸锶表面生长高质量拓扑绝缘体Bi2Se3薄膜的工作.然后介绍了拓扑绝缘体输运研究的现状,以及文章作者在栅电压调控拓扑绝缘体外延薄膜的化学势和输运性质方面的研究成果.     

磁性拓扑绝缘体中的量子化反常霍尔效应——无需外磁场的量子化霍尔效应

文章从平常霍尔效应出发,介绍了反常霍尔效应及其内秉物理机制,并在此基础上介绍了其量子化版本——量子化反常霍尔效应.然后从拓扑有序态的角度,重点讨论了量子化反常霍尔效应与量子霍尔效应、量子自旋霍尔效应、拓扑绝缘体等之间的区别与内在联系.最后介绍了通过在拓扑绝缘体(Bi2Se3,Bi2Te3和Sb2Te3)薄膜中掺杂过渡金属元素(Cr或Fe)实现量子化反常霍尔效应的方法.     

铁磁绝缘体间的极薄Bi2Se3薄膜的相变研究

研究一个极薄三维拓扑绝缘体Bi₂Se₃薄膜处于两个铁磁绝缘体层之间, 其铁磁层的磁化方向都处于竖直平面, 系统拓扑性质随磁化方向夹角的变化. 从表面态电子低能有效哈密顿量出发计算系统的Chern 数, 和运用一个具有Armchair边界的单层六角晶格带的紧束缚模型模拟系统的体能带和边缘态, 来确定系统所处的拓扑相. 发现两个铁磁层的磁化方式从平行转到反平行的某一临界角度, 系统经历从反常量子霍尔相到普通绝缘相的转变.     

声学蜂窝结构中的拓扑角态

高阶拓扑绝缘体是近年来发现的一类具有特殊拓扑相的新型拓扑绝缘体,目前已在光学、声学等多种经典波系统中实现.本文采用数值模拟方法研究了一种二维声学蜂窝结构,通过调节胞内和胞间耦合波导管,使体能带发生反转诱导拓扑相变,进而利用拓扑相构建出声学二阶拓扑绝缘体.蜂窝结构的拓扑性质可以用量子化的四极矩Q_ij表征,当Q_ij=0时,系统是平庸的;而当Q_ij=1/2时,系统是拓扑的.基于该蜂窝结构,分别研究了六边形和三角形结构的声学高阶态,在两种构型的蜂窝结构中均观测到了孤立的零维角态,研究结果表明只有存在钝角的六边形结构对缺陷具有鲁棒性,受拓扑保护.本文的拓扑角态丰富了高阶拓扑绝缘体的研究,同时可为紧凑声学系统中的鲁棒限制声提供一条新途径.     

Bi2Te3(111)和Al2O3(0001)衬底对Bi(111)双原子层的电子结构及拓扑性质的影响

晶体铋沿(111)面方向的双原子层及薄膜具有新奇的拓扑性质.在实验生长或者实际应用中,其必然与衬底接触.本文采用紧束缚近似方法与第一性原理计算研究了Bi双原子层及其与Bi₂Te₃和Al₂O₃衬底形成的异质结的电子结构.计算结果表明, Bi双层是具有0.2 eV的半导体.当其与具有拓扑表面态的Bi₂Te₃形成异质结时,两者电子态之间有很强的杂化,不利于Bi(111)双层拓扑电子态的观测.将其放在绝缘体Al₂O₃(0001)时,导带与价带与衬底电子态杂化较小,并且展现出巨大的Rashba自旋劈裂.这是由于衬底诱导Bi(111)双原子层中心反演对称性破缺和自旋-轨道耦合共同作用的结果.进一步采用紧束缚近似计算得到的结果发现,衬底Al₂O₃(0001)对Bi(111)双层的作用等效于一个约为0.5—0.6 V/?(1?=0.1 nm)的外电场.此外, Bi(111)双原子层与衬...     

Moiré superlattice modulations in single-unit-cell FeTe films grown on NbSe2 single crystals

Interface can be a fertile ground for exotic quantum states, including topological superconductivity, Majorana mode, fractal quantum Hall effect, unconventional superconductivity, Mott insulator, etc. Here we grow single-unit-cell (1UC) FeTe film on NbSe₂ single crystal by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and investigate the film in-situ with a home-made cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined system. We find different stripe-like superlattice modulations on grown FeTe film with different misorientation angles with respect to NbSe₂ substrate. We show that these stripe-like superlattice modulations can be understood as moiré pattern forming between FeTe film and NbSe₂ substrate. Our results indicate that the interface between FeTe and NbSe₂ is atomically sharp. By STM-AFM combined measurement, we suggest that the moiré superlattice modulations have an electronic origin when the misorientation angle is relatively small (≤ 3°) and have structural relaxation when the misorientation angle is relatively large (≥ 10°).     

Phase transition-induced superstructures of β-Sn films with atomic-scale thickness

The ultrathin β-Sn(001) films have attracted tremendous attention owing to its topological superconductivity(TSC),which hosts Majorana bound state(MBSs) for quantum computation.Recently,β-Sn(001) thin films have been successfully fabricated via phase transition engineering.However,the understanding of structural phase transition of β-Sn(001)thin films is still elusive.Here,we report the direct growth of ultrathin β-Sn(001) films epitaxially on the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite(HOPG) substrate and the characterization of intricate structural-transition-induced superstructures.The morphology was obtained by using atomic force microscopy(AFM) and low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy(STM),indicating a structure-related bilayer-by-bilayer growth mode.The ultrathin β-Sn film was made of multiple domains with various superstructures.Both high-symmetric and distorted superstructures were observed in the atomic-resolution STM images of these domains.The formation mechanism of these superstructures was further discussed based on the structural phase transition of β to α-Sn at the atomic-scale thickness.Our work not only brings a deep understanding of the structural phase transition of Sn film at the two-dimensional limit,but also paves a way to investigate their structure-sensitive topological properties.     

低维超导的实验进展

超导自发现以来, 已成为凝聚态物理领域最重要的方向之一. 近年来, 低维材料制备技术的进步使得一维或二维的超导特性实验研究成为可能. 本文在简要介绍超导现象的基础上, 重点回顾了近些年二维超导薄膜和一维超导纳米线的制备和电输运研究, 以及在低维超导体中发现的相移、近邻效应、铁磁超导相互作用和高温超导等新奇的现象, 并对该领域的进一步发展做出了展望.     

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of(110) oriented Pb(Zr_(1-x)Ti_x)O_3 thin films

A phenomenological Landau–Devonshire theory is developed to investigate the ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of(110) oriented Pb(Zr_(1-x)Ti_x)O_3(x = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7) thin films. At room temperature, the tetragonal a_1 phase, the orthorhombic a_2c phase, the triclinic γ_1 phase, and the triclinic γ_2 phase are stable. The appearance of the negative polarization component P_2 in the a_2c phase and the γ_1 phase is attributed to the nonlinear coupling terms in the thermodynamic potential. The γ phase of the Pb(Zr_(1-x)Ti_x)O_3 thin films has better dielectric and piezoelectric properties than the a_2c phase and the a_1 phase. The largest dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients are obtained in the Pb(Zr_(0.5)Ti_(0.5))O_3 thin film. The piezoelectric coefficient of 110–150 pm/V is obtained in the(110) oriented Pb(Zr_(0.5)Ti_(0.5))O_3 thin film, and the Pb(Zr_(0.3)Ti_(0.7))O_3 thin film has the remnant polarization and relative dielectric constant of 50 μC/cm~2 and 100, respectively,which are in agreement with the experimental measurements reported in the literature.     

高质量FeSe单晶薄膜的制备及相关性能表征

在铁基超导体中,FeSe具有最简单的晶体结构和化学组成,而且其超导转变温度具有较大的调控空间,因此适合作为超导机理研究和应用的载体.高质量样品的研制是物性研究和器件应用的前提,本文系统地研究了利用激光脉冲沉积技术制备FeSe薄膜的工艺条件,在多种衬底上成功地制备出高质量的β-FeSe薄膜,并首次实现了超导临界转变温度从小于2 K到14 K的连续调控,这为FeSe超导机理研究提供了样品支持.为探究FeSe薄膜超导电性变化的起因,从β-FeSe超导电性与晶格常数c正相关出发,基于简单的费米面填充假设,第一性原理计算可以很好地解释晶格常数c的变化规律,但该假设并不能完全符合角分辨光电子能谱实验给出的电子结构演变过程.因此β-FeSe薄膜的超导电性、晶格结构和电子结构三者之间的关系还有待澄清,该问题的解决将为FeSe超导机理研究提供重要的线索,而上述系列高质量的β-FeSe薄膜样品恰好能为该问题的研究提供理想的载体.本文根据实验和已有的相关研究结果,详细介绍了FeSe薄膜的脉冲激光沉积制备及其优化,以期为后续的薄膜研究应用提供参考.     

Impurity effect on weak antilocalization in the topological insulator Bi2Te3

We study the weak antilocalization (WAL) effect in topological insulator Bi(2)Te(3) thin films at low temperatures. The two-dimensional WAL effect associated with surface carriers is revealed in the tilted magnetic field dependence of magnetoconductance. Our data demonstrate that the observed WAL is robust against deposition of nonmagnetic Au impurities on the surface of the thin films, but it is quenched by the deposition of magnetic Fe impurities which destroy the π Berry phase of the topological surface states. The magnetoconductance data of a 5 nm Bi(2)Te(3) film suggests that a crossover from symplectic to unitary classes is observed with the deposition of Fe impurities.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of ordered oxygen adiayers on Ni/Cu(001) and Co/Cu(001) thin film systems

We report surface vibrations in c(2 × 2) oxygen adlayers on Ni and Co thin films on a Cu(001) substrate measured at gG by high resolution EELS. For the Ni thin film surface, one phonon peak is measured for varying film thicknesses from 1.3 ML (monolayer) to 6 ML with a constant energy of 221 cm⁻¹. For the Co thin film surface, three loss peaks are found, whose relative intensities change as the film thicknesses are varied. One loss peak at ˜520 cm⁻¹ is tentatively assigned to the Fuchs-Kliewer mode of cobalt oxide (CoO). The other two peaks at 317 and 376 cm⁻¹ are likely related to different bonding sites. Surface phonons on the p(2 × 2) Co thin film (389 cm⁻¹) and a bulk resonance mode (115 cm⁻¹) are also reported.     

Robustness of topologically protected surface states in layering of Bi2Te3 thin films

Bulk Bi2Te3 is known to be a topological insulator. We investigate surface states of Bi2Te3(111) thin films of one to six quintuple layers using density-functional theory including spin-orbit coupling. We construct a method to identify topologically protected surface states of thin film topological insulators. Applying this method to Bi2Te3 thin films, we find that the topological nature of the surface states remains robust with the film thickness and that the films of three or more quintuple layers have topologically nontrivial surface states, which agrees with experiments.     

Optoelectronic properties of SnO_2 thin films sprayed at different deposition times

This article presents the elaboration of tin oxide(SnO_2) thin films on glass substrates by using a home-made spray pyrolysis system. Effects of film thickness on the structural, optical, and electrical film properties are investigated. The films are characterized by several techniques such as x-ray diffraction(XRD), atomic force microscopy(AFM), ultravioletvisible(UV–Vis) transmission, and four-probe point measurements, and the results suggest that the prepared films are uniform and well adherent to the substrates. X-ray diffraction(XRD) patterns show that SnO_2 film is of polycrystal with cassiterite tetragonal crystal structure and a preferential orientation along the(110) plane. The calculated grain sizes are in a range from 32.93 nm to 56.88 nm. Optical transmittance spectra of the films show that their high transparency average transmittances are greater than 65% in the visible region. The optical gaps of SnO_2 thin films are found to be in a range of 3.64 e V–3.94 e V. Figures of merit for SnO_2 thin films reveal that their maximum value is about 1.15 × 10-4-1?atλ = 550 nm. Moreover, the measured electrical resistivity at room temperature is on the order of 10-2?·cm.