Dirac points with giant spin-orbit splitting in the electronic structure of two-dimensional transition-metal carbides.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, especially their most prominent member, graphene, have greatly influenced many scientific areas. Moreover, they have become a base for investigating the relativistic properties of condensed matter within the emerging field of "Dirac physics." This has ignited an intense search for new materials where charge carriers behave as massless or massive Dirac fermions. Here, by the use of density functional theory and symmetry analysis, we theoretically show the existence of Dirac electrons in a series of 2D transition-metal carbides, known as MXenes. They possess eight conical crossings in the first Brillouin zone with giant spin-orbit splitting. Our findings indicate that the 2D band structure of MXenes is protected against external perturbations and preserved even in multilayer phases. These results, together with the broad possibilities to engineer the properties of these phases, make them a potential candidate for studying novel Dirac-physics-based applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]