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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Valley-Coherent Quantum Anomalous Hall State in AB-Stacked MoTe 2 / W S e 2 Bilayers

Moiré materials provide fertile ground for the correlated and topological quantum phenomena. Among them, the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, in which the Hall resistance is quantized even under zero magnetic field, is a direct manifestation of the intrinsic topological properties of a material and an appealing attribute for low-power electronics applications. The QAH effect has been observed in both graphene and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) moiré materials. It is thought to arise from the interaction-driven valley polarization of the narrow moiré bands. Here, we show that the newly discovered QAH state in AB-stacked MoTe 2 / W S e 2 moiré bilayers is not valley polarized but valley coherent. The layer- and helicity-resolved optical spectroscopy measurement reveals that the QAH ground state possesses spontaneous spin (valley) polarization aligned (antialigned) in two TMD layers. In addition, saturation of the out-of-plane spin polarization in both layers occurs only under high magnetic fields, supporting a canted spin texture. Our results call for a new mechanism for the QAH effect and highlight the potential of TMD moiré materials with strong electronic correlations and spin-orbit interactions for exotic topological states. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

2-dimensional systems↗
DOE OSTI2022

Probing the mesoscopic size limit of quantum anomalous Hall insulators

The inelastic scattering length (L s ) is a length scale of fundamental importance in condensed matters due to the relationship between inelastic scattering and quantum dephasing. In quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) materials, the mesoscopic length scale L s plays an instrumental role in determining transport properties. Here we examine L s in three regimes of the QAH system with distinct transport behaviors: the QAH, quantum critical, and insulating regimes. Although the resistance changes by five orders of magnitude when tuning between these distinct electronic phases, scaling analyses indicate a universal L s among all regimes. Finally, mesoscopic scaled devices with sizes on the order of L s were fabricated, enabling the direct detection of the value of L s in QAH samples. Our results unveil the fundamental length scale that governs the transport behavior of QAH materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Local probe of bulk and edge states in a fractional Chern insulator

The fractional quantum Hall effect is a key example of topological quantum many-body phenomena, arising from the interplay between strong electron correlation, topological order and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recently, a lattice analogue of the fractional quantum Hall effect at zero magnetic field has been observed, confirming the existence of a zero-field fractional Chern insulator (FCI). Despite this, the bulk–edge correspondence—a hallmark of a FCI featuring an insulating bulk with conductive edges—has not been directly observed. In fact, this correspondence has not been visualized in any system for fractional states owing to experimental challenges. Here we report the imaging of FCI edge states in twisted MoTe 2 (t-MoTe 2 ) using microwave impedance microscopy. By tuning the carrier density, we observe the system evolving between metallic and FCI states, the latter of which exhibits insulating bulk and conductive edges, as expected from the bulk–boundary correspondence. Further analysis suggests the composite nature of the FCI edge states. We also observe the evolution of edge states across the topological phase transition as a function of interlayer electric field and reveal exciting prospects of neighbouring domains with different fractional orders. Furthermore, these findings pave the way for research into topologically protected one-dimensional interfaces between various anyonic states at zero magnetic field, such as gapped one-dimensional symmetry-protected phases with non-zero topological entanglement entropy, Halperin–Laughlin interfaces and the creation of non-abelian anyons.

Imaging techniques↗
DOE OSTI2026

Probing Quantum Anomalous Hall States in Twisted Bilayer WSe 2 via Attractive Polaron Spectroscopy

Moiré superlattices in semiconductors exhibit a rich variety of interaction-induced topological states, including quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effects. A recent study hinted that twisted WSe 2 homobilayer (tWSe 2 ) could host a QAH state but lacked direct evidence of ferromagnetism, a key hallmark of this phase. Here, we report the first direct evidence of QAH states in tWSe 2 with spontaneous ferromagnetism. Specifically, we employ polarization-resolved attractive polaron spectroscopy on a dual-gated, 2° tWSe 2 and observe direct signatures of spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking at hole filling 𝜈 = 1. Together with a Chern number (𝐶) measurement via Streda formula analysis, we identify this magnetized state as a topological state, characterized by 𝐶 = 1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these topological and magnetic properties are tunable via a finite displacement field, between a QAH ferromagnetic state and an antiferromagnetic state. Our findings position tWSe 2 as a highly versatile, stable, and optically addressable platform for investigating topological order and strong correlations in two-dimensional landscapes.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

GaN/AlGaN 2DEGs in the quantum regime: Magneto-transport and photoluminescence to 60 tesla

Here, using high magnetic fields up to 60 T, we report magneto-transport and photoluminescence (PL) studies of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a GaN/AlGaN heterojunction grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Transport measurements demonstrate that the quantum limit can be exceeded (Landau level filling factor v <1) and show evidence for the v =2/3 fractional quantum Hall state. Simultaneous optical and transport measurements reveal synchronous quantum oscillations of both the PL intensity and the longitudinal resistivity in the integer quantum Hall regime. PL spectra directly reveal the dispersion of occupied Landau levels in the 2DEG and, therefore, the electron mass. These results demonstrate the utility of high (pulsed) magnetic fields for detailed measurements of quantum phenomena in high-density 2DEGs.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thermal activation signatures of the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid forming near ν = 1

When interactions overcome disorder, integer quantum Hall plateaus support topological phases with different bulk insulators. In the center of the ν = 1 plateau the bulk is an Anderson-type insulator, while in the flanks of the plateau the bulk is the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid. We find that the activation energy along the ν = 1 plateau exhibits a very dramatic nonmonotonic dependence on the magnetic field, a dependence that is strongly correlated with the stability regions of the two phases. Furthermore, the activation energy has an unexpected minimum at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid. Our findings constrain the theory of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid, determine its thermodynamic properties, and reveal unusual behavior at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantum Phase Engineering of Two-Dimensional Post-Transition Metals by Substrates: Toward a Room-Temperature Quantum Anomalous Hall Insulator

In this work, we propose a new strategy to engineer topological and magnetic properties of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal lattices consisting of post-transition metals. Our first-principles calculations demonstrate that substrates serve as templates to form 2D lattices with high thermodynamic stability, where their topological properties as well as magnetic properties sensitively change as a function of lattice constants, i.e., the system undergoes a first-order phase transition from nonmagnetic to ferromagnetic state above a critical lattice constant. Consequently, substrates can be used to explore versatile magnetic, electronic, and quantum topological properties. We establish phase diagrams of versatile quantum phases in terms of exchange coupling and spin–orbit coupling effectively tuned by the lattice constants. We further reveal the first room-temperature quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, i.e., Sn on 2√3 × 2√3 graphane is a QAH insulator with a large spin–orbit coupling gap of ~0.2 eV and a Curie temperature of ~380 K by using the 2D anisotropic Heisenberg model.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanoscale electrostatic control in ultraclean van der Waals heterostructures by local anodic oxidation of graphite gates

In an all-van der Waals heterostructure, the active layer, gate dielectrics and gate electrodes are assembled from two-dimensional crystals that have a low density of atomic defects. This design allows two-dimensional electron systems with very low disorder to be created, particularly in heterostructures where the active layer also has intrinsically low disorder, such as crystalline graphene layers or metal dichalcogenide heterobilayers. A key missing ingredient has been nanoscale electrostatic control, with existing methods for fabricated local gates typically introducing unwanted contamination. Here we describe a resist-free local anodic oxidation process for patterning sub-100 nm features in graphite gates, and their subsequent integration into an all-van der Waals heterostructure. We define a quantum point contact in the fractional quantum Hall regime as a benchmark device and observe signatures of chiral Luttinger liquid behaviour, indicating an absence of extrinsic scattering centres in the vicinity of the point contact. In the integer quantum Hall regime, we demonstrate in situ control of the edge confinement potential, a key requirement for the precision control of chiral edge states. In conclusion, this technique may enable the fabrication of devices capable of single anyon control and coherent edge-state interferometry in the fractional quantum Hall regime.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quantum metric nonlinear Hall effect in a topological antiferromagnetic heterostructure

Quantum geometry in condensed matter physics has two components: the real part quantum metric and the imaginary part Berry curvature. Whereas the effects of Berry curvature have been observed through phenomena such as the quantum Hall effect in 2D electron gases and the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in ferromagnets, quantum metric has rarely been explored. Here, in this paper, we report a nonlinear Hall effect induced by quantum metric dipole by interfacing even-layered MnBi 2 Te 4 with black phosphorus. The quantum metric nonlinear Hall effect switches direction upon reversing the AFM spins and exhibits distinct scaling that is independent of the scattering time. Our results open the door to discovering quantum metric responses predicted theoretically and pave the way for applications that bridge nonlinear electronics with AFM spintronics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Local spectroscopy of a gate-switchable moiré quantum anomalous Hall insulator

Abstract In recent years, correlated insulating states, unconventional superconductivity, and topologically non-trivial phases have all been observed in several moiré heterostructures. However, understanding of the physical mechanisms behind these phenomena is hampered by the lack of local electronic structure data. Here, we use scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy to demonstrate how the interplay between correlation, topology, and local atomic structure determines the behaviour of electron-doped twisted monolayer–bilayer graphene. Through gate- and magnetic field-dependent measurements, we observe local spectroscopic signatures indicating a quantum anomalous Hall insulating state with a total Chern number of ±2 at a doping level of three electrons per moiré unit cell. We show that the sign of the Chern number and associated magnetism can be electrostatically switched only over a limited range of twist angle and sample hetero-strain values. This results from a competition between the orbital magnetization of filled bulk bands and chiral edge states, which is sensitive to strain-induced distortions in the moiré superlattice.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantum anomalous Hall effect in two-dimensional magnetic insulator heterojunctions

Abstract Recent years have witnessed tremendous success in the discovery of topological states of matter. Particularly, sophisticated theoretical methods in time-reversal-invariant topological phases have been developed, leading to the comprehensive search of crystal database and the prediction of thousands of topological materials. In contrast, the discovery of magnetic topological phases that break time reversal is still limited to several exemplary materials because the coexistence of magnetism and topological electronic band structure is rare in a single compound. To overcome this challenge, we propose an alternative approach to realize the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, a typical example of magnetic topological phase, via engineering two-dimensional (2D) magnetic van der Waals heterojunctions. Instead of a single magnetic topological material, we search for the combinations of two 2D (typically trivial) magnetic insulator compounds with specific band alignment so that they can together form a type-III broken-gap heterojunction with topologically non-trivial band structure. By combining the data-driven materials search, first-principles calculations, and the symmetry-based analytical models, we identify eight type-III broken-gap heterojunctions consisting of 2D ferromagnetic insulators in the MXY compound family as a set of candidates for the QAH effect. In particular, we directly calculate the topological invariant (Chern number) and chiral edge states in the MnNF/MnNCl heterojunction with ferromagnetic stacking. This work illustrates how data-driven material science can be combined with symmetry-based physical principles to guide the search for heterojunction-based quantum materials hosting the QAH effect and other exotic quantum states in general.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Microscopic study of the coupled-wire construction and plausible realization in spin-dependent optical lattices

Coupled-wire constructions offer particularly simple and powerful models to capture the essence of strongly correlated topological phases of matter. They often rely on effective theories valid in the low-energy and strong-coupling limits, which impose severe constraints on the physical systems where they could be realized. In this work, we investigate the microscopic relevance of a class of coupled-wire models and their possible experimental realization in cold-atom experiments. We connect with earlier results and prove the emergence of fractional quantum Hall states in the limit of strong interwire tunneling. Contrary to previous studies relying on renormalization group arguments, our microscopic approach exposes the connection between coupled-wire constructions and model wave functions in continuum Landau levels. Then, we use exact-diagonalization methods to investigate the appearance of these fractional quantum Hall states in more realistic settings. We examine the parameter regimes where these strongly correlated phases arise, and provide a way to detect their appearance in cold-atom experiments through standard time-of-flight measurements. Motivated by this experimental probe, we finally propose a realization of our model with cold atoms in spin-dependent optical lattices. Our estimates show that the previous fractional quantum Hall phases lie within experimentally accessible parameter regimes, giving a viable route toward their experimental study.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Anomalous nematic state to stripe phase transition driven by in-plane magnetic fields

Anomalous nematic states, recently discovered in ultraclean two-dimensional electron gas, emerge from quantum Hall stripe phases upon further cooling. These states are hallmarked by a local minimum (maximum) in the hard (easy) longitudinal resistance and by an incipient plateau in the Hall resistance in nearly half-filled Landau levels. In this work, we demonstrate that a modest in-plane magnetic field, applied either along $\langle$110$\rangle$ or $\langle1\bar{1}0\rangle$ crystal axis of GaAs, destroys anomalous nematic states and restores quantum Hall stripe phases aligned along their native $\langle$110$\rangle$ direction. These findings confirm that anomalous nematic states are distinct from other ground states and will assist future theories to identify their origin.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quantum criticality in coupled hybrid metal-semiconductor islands

We show that the combined effects of a dynamical Coulomb blockade and integer quantum Hall effect in a coupled hybrid metal-semiconductor setup provide a pathway for realizing resonant tunneling in Luttinger liquids. This hybrid setup can be brought to the quantum critical regime by varying gate voltages and contact resistances. We explore the nature of quantum criticality, Kondo effect, charge fractionalization, and transport in such a hybrid setup, and verify their robust non-Fermi-liquid behaviors. In conclusion, our work opens a promising route for quantum simulating exotic zero-temperature quantum critical phenomena associated with Luttinger-liquid physics in a nanoengineered electronic circuit with well-defined quantum Hall channels.

Coulomb blockade↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nanoscale Defects as Probes of Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking

Nanoscale defects such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers can serve as sensitive and noninvasive probes of electromagnetic fields and fluctuations from materials, which in turn can be used to characterize these systems. Here we specifically discuss how NV centers can probe time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) phenomena in low-dimensional electronic systems. We argue that the difference in relaxation rates Γ$_{±\hat{z}}$ of NV centers starting from 𝑚 = ±1 spin states to the ground state with 𝑚 = 0 directly probes TRSB. The effect arises from the difference in the fluctuation spectrum of left- and right-polarized electromagnetic fields emanating from such materials. In the quantum Hall setting, the NV center experiences (nearly zero) large additional contribution to its relaxation due to the presence of the material when its magnetic dipole (anti)aligns with the external field. More generally, the difference in the relaxation rates is sensitive to the imaginary part of the wave-vector-dependent Hall conductivity. We argue that this can be used to determine the Hall viscosity, which can potentially distinguish candidate fractional quantum Hall states and be used to infer the pairing angular momentum in TRSB superconductors. We compute the average relaxation rate [Γ$_{+\hat{z}}$ + Γ$_{-\hat{z}}$] near thin film superconductors and find that it exhibits a Hebel-Slichter-like enhancement below 𝑇 𝑐 . The difference Γ$_{+\hat{z}}$ −Γ$_{-\hat{z}}$ also inherits this peak but is only nonzero for 𝑇 < 𝑇 𝑐 and only if the superconductivity is chiral. We provide concrete estimates for observing this effect in stacked twisted bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide flakes.

NV centers↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fixed-phase diffusion Monte Carlo study of activation gap and skyrmion excitations of a ν = 1 system in the presence of charged impurities

The discrepancy between the theoretically calculated and experimentally measured activation gaps in quantum Hall effect has long been a puzzle. We revisit this issue in the context of the v = 1 quantum Hall state, while also incorporating the skyrmion physics. We find that the finite width and the Landau level mixing effects are not sufficient to explain the observed activation gap. We further show that the presence of charged impurities located adjacent to the quantum well can cause a significant reduction in the activation gap, while also causing a suppression of the skyrmion size.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Origin of the quasi-quantized Hall effect in ZrTe 5

The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is traditionally considered to be a purely two-dimensional (2D) phenomenon. Recently, however, a three-dimensional (3D) version of the QHE was reported in the Dirac semimetal ZrTe 5 . It was proposed to arise from a magnetic-field-driven Fermi surface instability, transforming the original 3D electron system into a stack of 2D sheets. Here, we report thermodynamic, spectroscopic, thermoelectric and charge transport measurements on such ZrTe 5 samples. The measured properties: magnetization, ultrasound propagation, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, show no signatures of a Fermi surface instability, consistent with in-field single crystal X-ray diffraction. Instead, a direct comparison of the experimental data with linear response calculations based on an effective 3D Dirac Hamiltonian suggests that the quasi-quantization of the observed Hall response emerges from the interplay of the intrinsic properties of the ZrTe 5 electronic structure and its Dirac-type semi-metallic character.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantum many-body scars in a Landau level on a thin torus

We review a kinetically constrained pair-hopping model that arises within a Landau level in the quantum Hall effect. At filling ν = 1/3, the model exactly maps onto the so-called “PXP model,” a constrained model for the Rydberg atom chain that is numerically known to exhibit ETH-violating states in the middle of the spectrum or quantum many-body scars. Indeed, particular charge density wave configurations exhibit the same revivals seen in the PXP model. We generalize the mapping to fillings factors ν = p/(2p+1), and show that the model is equivalent to nonintegrable spin chains within particular constrained Krylov Hilbert spaces. These lead to new examples of quantum many-body scars which manifest as revivals and slow thermalization of particular charge density wave states. Finally, we investigate the stability of the quantum scars under certain Hamiltonian perturbations motivated by the fractional quantum Hall physics.

1-dimensional spin chains↗