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The Mott state in 1T-TaS2 is predicted to host quantum spin liquids (QSLs). However, its insulating mechanism is controversial due to complications from interlayer coupling. Here, we study the charge transfer state in monolayer 1T-NbSe2, an electronic analogue to TaS2 exempt from interlayer coupling, using spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations. Monolayer NbSe2 surprisingly displays two types of star of David (SD) motifs with different charge transfer gap sizes, which are interconvertible via temperature variation. In addition, bilayer 1T-NbSe2 shows a Mott collapse by interlayer coupling. Our calculation unveils that the two types of SDs possess distinct structural distortions, altering the effective Coulomb energies of the central Nb orbital. Our calculation suggests that the charge transfer gap, the same parameter for determining the QSL regime, is tunable with strain. This finding offers a general strategy for manipulating the charge transfer state in related systems, which may be tuned into the potential QSL regime.

The Mott state in 1T-TaS

Three-dimensional (3D) topological Dirac semimetal, when thinned down to 2D few layers, is expected to possess gapped Dirac nodes via quantum confinement effect and concomitantly display the intriguing quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator phase. However, the 3D-to-2D crossover and the associated topological phase transition, which is valuable for understanding the topological quantum phases, remain unexplored. Here, we synthesize high-quality Na3Bi thin films with R3*R3 reconstruction on graphene, and systematically characterize their thickness-dependent electronic and topological properties by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy in combination with first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that Dirac gaps emerge in Na3Bi films, providing spectroscopic evidences of dimensional crossover from a 3D semimetal to a 2D topological insulator. Importantly, the Dirac gaps are revealed to be of sizable magnitudes on 3 and 4 monolayers (72 and 65 meV, respectively) with topologically nontrivial edge states. Moreover, the Fermi energy of a Na3Bi film can be tuned via certain growth process, thus offering a viable way for achieving charge neutrality in transport. The feasibility of controlling Dirac gap opening and charge neutrality enables realizing intrinsic high-temperature QSH effect in Na3Bi films and achieving potential applications in topological devices., 28 pages, 4 figures

Exploring new two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) systems is at the forefront of materials physics. Here, through molecular beam epitaxy on graphene-covered SiC(0001), we report successful growth of AlSb in the double-layer honeycomb (DLHC) structure, a 2D vdW material which has no direct analogue to its 3D bulk and is predicted kinetically stable when freestanding. The structural morphology and electronic structure of the experimental 2D AlSb are characterized with spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy and cross-sectional imaging scanning transmission electron microscopy, which compare well to the proposed DLHC structure. The 2D AlSb exhibits a bandgap of 0.93 eV versus the predicted 1.06 eV, which is substantially smaller than the 1.6 eV of bulk. We also attempt the less-stable InSb DLHC structure; however, it grows into bulk islands instead. The successful growth of a DLHC material here opens the door for the realization of a large family of novel 2D DLHC traditional semiconductors with unique excitonic, topological, and electronic properties., 21 pages, 6 figures

The synthesis and integration of core-shell materials have been extensively explored in three-dimensional nanostructures, while they are hardly ever extended into the emerging two-dimensional (2D) research field. Herein, demonstrated by graphene (G) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and via a sequential chemical vapor deposition method, we succeed for the first time in synthesizing 2D h-BN-G core-shell arrays (CSA), which possess extremely high uniformity in shapes, sizes and distributions. Each of the core-shell units is composed of G ring-shaped shell internally filled with h-BN circular core. In addition, we perform simulations to further explain the self-symmetrical etching growth mechanism of the h-BN-G CSA, demonstrating its potential to be used as an efficient synthetic method suitable for other 2D CSA systems.

Two-dimensional materials offer opportunities for unravelling unprecedented ordered states at single layer limit. Among such ordered states, Mott phase is rarely explored. Here, we report the Mott phase in van der Waals chromium (II) iodide (CrI2) films. High quality CrI2 films with atomically flat surface and macro size are grown on graphitized 6H-SiC(0001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. By in situ low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), we reveal that the film has a band gap as large as ~3.2 eV, which is nearly thickness independent. Density functional plus dynamic mean field theory calculations suggest that CrI2 films may be a strong Mott insulator with a ferromagnetically ordered ground state. The Mott phase is corroborated by the spectral band splitting, that is consistent with the extended Hubbard model, and gap reduction at charge dopants. Our study provides a platform for studying correlated electron states at single layer limit., Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures