Honeycomb Electron Lattice Induced Dirac Fermion with Trigonal Warping in Bilayer Electrides.

Abstract

Emergent fermions arising from the excess electrons of electrides provide a new perspective for exploring semimetal states with unique Fermi surface geometries. In this study, a class of unique two-dimensional (2D) highly anisotropic Dirac fermions is designed using a sandwich structure. Based on the structural design and first-principles calculations, 2D electride MB (M = Ca/Sr, B = Cl/Br/I) is an ideal candidate material. The excess electrons of the bilayer MB could be stably localized in the interstitial cavities, constructing a natural zigzag honeycomb electron sublattice that further forms a Dirac fermion. Compared with traditional Dirac semimetals, 2D Dirac electrides exhibited rich physical properties: i) The Fermi surface shows trigonal warping in low-energy regions. In particular, the geometry of the Fermi surface determines the high anisotropy of the Fermi velocity. ii) A pair of Dirac fermions are protected by three-fold rotational symmetry and exhibit strong robustness. iii) Electride MB possesses a lower work function that strongly correlates with the surface area of the emission channel. Based on these properties, an electron-emitting device with multifunctional applications is fabricated. Therefore, this study provides an ideal platform for studying potential entanglement between structures, electrides, and topological states.