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Topology and superconductivity, two distinct phenomena offer unique insight into quantum properties and their applications in quantum technologies, spintronics, and sustainable energy technologies if system can be found where they coexist. Tin (Sn) plays a pivotal role here as an element due to its two structural phases, $\alpha$-Sn and $\beta$-Sn, exhibiting topological characteristics ($\alpha$-Sn) and superconductivity ($\beta$-Sn). In this study we show how precise control of $\alpha$ and $\beta$ phases of Sn thin films can be achieved by using molecular beam epitaxy grown buffer layers with systematic control over the lattice parameter. The resulting Sn films showed either $\beta$-Sn or $\alpha$-Sn phases as the lattice constant of the buffer layer was varied from 6.10 A to 6.48 A, covering the range between GaSb (closely matched to InAs) and InSb. The crystal structures of the $\alpha$- and $\beta$-Sn films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The smooth and continuous surface morphology of the Sn films was validated using atomic force microscopy. The characteristics of $\alpha$- and $\beta$-Sn phases were further verified using electrical transport measurements by observing resistance drop near 3.7 K for superconductivity of the $\beta$-Sn phase and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations for the $\alpha$-Sn phase. Density functional theory calculations showed that the stability of the Sn phases is highly dependent on lattice strain, with $\alpha$-Sn being more stable under tensile strain and $\beta$-Sn becoming favorable under compressive strain, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. Hence, this study sheds light on controlling Sn phases through lattice engineering, enabling innovative applications in quantum technologies and beyond.

The formation of an ideal van der Waals (vdW) contacts at metal/transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) interfaces is a critical step for the development of high-performance and energy-efficient electronic and optoelectronic applications based on the two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors. In overcoming the key chal-lenges of the conventional metal deposition process that leads to an uncontrol-lable Schottky barrier height and high contact resistance, notable advances were recently made by transferring atomically flat metal thin films or thermally evapo-rating indium/gold alloy. However, the realization of an ideal vdW contact be-tween an elemental metal and TMDC through the evaporation process is yet to be demonstrated, and particularly the evidence of an Ohmic contact between three-dimensional metallic electrodes and TMDCs is still unavailable. Herein, we report the fabrication of atomically clean metal/TMDC contacts by evaporating metals at a relatively low thermal energy and subsequently cooling the substrate holder down to 100 K by liquid nitrogen, achieving for the indium (In)/molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) case an accumulation-type Ohmic contact with a metal-induced electron doping density of 10$^{12}$/cm$^2$. We find that the transport at the In/MoS2 contact is dominated by the field-emission mechanism over a wide temperature range from 2.4 to 300 K, and the contact resistance reaches 600 Ohm um and 1,000 Ohm um at cryogenic temperatures for the few-layer and monolayer MoS2 cases, respectively. Based on first-principles calculations, we find that the na-ture of the ideal In/MoS2 vdW contact is characterized by the formation of in-gap states within TMDC together with the abrupt and rigid shift of the TMDC band., Comment: 38 pages, 15 figures

Understanding the energy transport by charge carriers and phonons in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures is essential for the development of future energy-efficient 2D nanoelectronics. Here, we performed in situ spatially resolved Raman thermometry on an electrically biased graphene channel and its hBN substrate to study the energy dissipation mechanism in graphene/hBN heterostructures. By comparing the temperature profile along the biased graphene channel with that along the hBN substrate, we found that the thermal boundary resistance between the graphene and hBN was in the range of (1-2) x 10^(-7) m^(2) KW^(-1) from ~100 C to the onset of graphene break-down at ~600 C in air. Consideration of an electro-thermal transport model together with the Raman thermometry conducted in air showed that local doping occurred under a strong electric field played a crucial role in the energy dissipation of the graphene/hBN device up to T ~ 600 C., Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures

An Eu NMR study in the ferromagnetic phase of pure and Gd doped EuO was performed. A complete description of the NMR lineshape of pure EuO allowed for the influence of doping EuO with Gd impurities to be highlighted. The presence of a temperature dependent static magnetic inhomogeneity in Gd doped EuO was demonstrated by studying the temperature dependence of the lineshapes. The results suggest that the inhomogeneity in 0.6% Gd doped EuO is linked to colossal magnetoresistance. The measurement of the spin-lattice relaxation times as a function of temperature led to the determination of the value of the exchange integral J as a function of Gd doping. It was found that J is temperature independent and spatially homogeneous for all the samples and that its value increases abruptly with increasing Gd doping., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Physical Review B