Broken Inversion Symmetry Research Articles

Magnetic Field-Induced Polar Order in Monolayer Molybdenum Disulfide Transistors.

In semiconducting monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (ML-TMDs), broken inversion symmetry and strong spin-orbit coupling result in spin-valley lock-in effects so that the valley degeneracy may be lifted by external magnetic fields, potentially leading to real-space structural transformation. Here, magnetic field (B)-induced giant electric hysteretic responses to back-gate voltages are reported in ML-MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) on SiO2/Si at temperatures <20 K. The observed hysteresis increases with |B| up to 12 T and is tunable by varying the temperature. Raman spectroscopic and scanning tunneling microscopic studies reveal significant lattice expansion with increasing |B| at 4.2 K, and this lattice expansion becomes asymmetric in ML-MoS2 FETs on rigid SiO2/Si substrates, leading to out-of-plane mirror symmetry breaking and the emergence of a tunable out-of-plane ferroelectric-like polar order. This broken symmetry-induced polarization in ML-MoS2 shows typical ferroelectric butterfly hysteresis in piezo-response force microscopy, adding ML-MoS2 to the single-layer material family that exhibits out-of-plane polar order-induced ferroelectricity, which is promising for such technological applications as cryo-temperature ultracompact non-volatile memories, memtransistors, and ultrasensitive magnetic field sensors. Moreover, the polar effect induced by asymmetric lattice expansion may be further generalized to other ML-TMDs and achieved by nanoscale strain engineering of the substrate without magnetic fields.

Observation of converse flexoelectric effect in topological semimetals

A strong coupling between electric polarization and elastic deformation in solids is an important factor in creating useful electromechanical nanodevices. Such coupling is typically allowed in insulating materials with inversion symmetry breaking as exemplified by the piezoelectric effect in ferroelectric materials. Therefore, materials with metallicity and centrosymmetry have tended to be out of scope in this perspective. Here, we report the observation of giant elastic deformation by the application of an alternating electric current in topological semimetals (V,Mo)Te2, regardless of the centrosymmetry. Considering the crystal and band structures and the asymmetric measurement configurations in addition to the absence of the electromechanical effect in a trivial semimetal TiTe2, the observed effect is discussed in terms of a Berry-phase-derived converse flexoelectric effect in metals. The observation of the flexoelectric effect in topological semimetals paves a way for a new type of nanoscale electromechanical sensors and energy harvesting.

Signature of Correlated Insulator in Electric Field Controlled Superlattice.

On a two-dimensional crystal, a "superlattice" with nanometer-scale periodicity can be imposed to tune the Bloch electron spectrum, enabling novel physical properties inaccessible in the original crystal. While creating 2D superlattices by means of nanopatterned electric gates has been studied for band structure engineering in recent years, evidence of electron correlations─which drive many problems at the forefront of physics research─remains to be uncovered. In this work, we demonstrate signatures of a correlated insulator phase in Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene modulated by a gate-defined superlattice potential, manifested as resistance peaks centered at integer multiples of single electron per superlattice unit cell carrier densities. The observation is consistent with the formation of a stack of flat low-energy bands due to the superlattice potential combined with inversion symmetry breaking. Our work paves the way to custom-designed superlattices for studying band structure engineering and strongly correlated electrons in 2D materials.

Engineering band structures of two-dimensional materials with remote moiré ferroelectricity.

The stacking order and twist angle provide abundant opportunities for engineering band structures of two-dimensional materials, including the formation of moiré bands, flat bands, and topologically nontrivial bands. The inversion symmetry breaking in rhombohedral-stacked transitional metal dichalcogenides endows them with an interfacial ferroelectricity associated with an out-of-plane electric polarization. By utilizing twist angle as a knob to construct rhombohedral-stacked transitional metal dichalcogenides, antiferroelectric domain networks with alternating out-of-plane polarization can be generated. Here, we demonstrate that such spatially periodic ferroelectric polarizations in parallel-stacked twisted WSe2 can imprint their moiré potential onto a remote bilayer graphene. This remote moiré potential gives rise to pronounced satellite resistance peaks besides the charge-neutrality point in graphene, which are tunable by the twist angle of WSe2. Our observations of ferroelectric hysteresis at finite displacement fields suggest the moiré is delivered by a long-range electrostatic potential. The constructed superlattices by moiré ferroelectricity represent a highly flexible approach, as they involve the separation of the moiré construction layer from the electronic transport layer. This remote moiré is identified as a weak potential and can coexist with conventional moiré. Our results offer a comprehensive strategy for engineering band structures and properties of two-dimensional materials by utilizing moiré ferroelectricity.

Field-Free Superconducting Diode Effect and Magnetochiral Anisotropy in FeTe0.7Se0.3 Junctions with the Inherent Asymmetric Barrier.

Nonreciprocal electrical transport, characterized by an asymmetric relationship between the current and voltage, plays a crucial role in modern electronic industries. Recent studies have extended this phenomenon to superconductors, introducing the concept of the superconducting diode effect (SDE). The SDE is characterized by unequal critical supercurrents along opposite directions. Due to the requirement on broken inversion symmetry, the SDE is commonly accompanied by electrical magnetochiral anisotropy (eMCA) in the resistive state. Achieving a magnetic-field-free SDE with field tunability is pivotal for advancements in superconductor devices. Conventionally, field-free SDE has been achieved in Josephson junctions by intentionally intercalating an asymmetric barrier layer. Alternatively, internal magnetism was employed. Both approaches pose challenges in the selection of superconductors and fabrication processes, thereby impeding the development of SDE. Here, we present a field-free SDE in FeTe0.7Se0.3 (FTS) junction with eMCA, a phenomenon absent in FTS single nanosheets. The field-free property is associated with the presence of a gradient oxide layer on the upper surface of each FTS nanosheet, while eMCA is linked to spin splitting arising from the absence of inversion symmetry. Both SDE and eMCA respond to magnetic fields with distinct temperature dependencies. This work presents a versatile and straightforward strategy for advancing superconducting electronics.

Microscopic Theory of Nonlinear Hall Effect in Three-dimensional Magnetic Systems

Abstract The nonlinear Hall effect (NLHE) has been detected in various of condensed matter systems. Unlike linear Hall effect, NLHE may exist in physical systems with broken inversion symmetry in the crystal. On the other hand, real space spin texture may also break inversion symmetry and result in NLHE. In this letter, we employ the Feynman diagrammatic technique to calculate nonlinear Hall conductivity (NLHC) in three-dimensional magnetic systems. The results connect NLHE with the physical quantity of emergent electrodynamics which originates from the magnetic texture. The leading order contribution of NLHC $\chi_{abb}$ is proportional to the emergent toroidal moment $\mathcal{T}_{a}^{e}$ which reflects how the spin textures wind in three dimension.

Topological valley waveguide state transport based on the nesting difference

Acoustic topological waveguide states are characterized by topologically protected transport. Existing acoustic topological valley-locked waveguide state transport structures can only realize single-scene acoustic field modulation due to the limitation of structural tunability, and it is difficult to realize width degree of freedom and reconfigurable transport paths of acoustic waves by adjusting the transport structure for complex acoustic field. Therefore, the transport structures become a conceptualized idea in terms of tunability. Our study introduces a nesting method in the design of the sonic crystal scatterer, which splits the scatterer structure into a removable outer shell and a core, and three topological phase transitions can be realized by only changing the nesting method of the sonic crystal shell, this approach constructs a fully reconfigurable topological waveguide. The results demonstrate that changing the nesting of the sonic crystals induces effective spatial inversion symmetry breaking, which leads to the valley topological phase transitionSimulations and experiments demonstrate that this transport structure has excellent robust transport properties with large inflection corners, and it is capable of realizing acoustic focusing, acoustic channeling, and acoustic logic gates. This fully reconfigurable sonic crystal design method can provide implications for the modulation of other classical waves.

Machine learning assisted screening of two dimensional chalcogenide ferromagnetic materials with Dzyaloshinskii Moriya interaction

Magnetic skyrmions are potential candidates for high-density storage and logic devices because of their inherent topological stability and nanoscale size. Two-dimensional (2D) Janus transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) are widely used to induce skyrmions due to the breaking of inversion symmetry. However, the experimental synthesis of Janus TMDs is rare, which indicates that the Janus configuration might not be the most stable MXY structure. Here, through machine-learning-assisted high-throughput first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that not all MXY compounds can be stabilized in Janus layered structure and a large proportion prefer to form other configurations with lower energy than the Janus configuration. Interestingly, these new configurations exhibit a strong Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), which can generate and stabilize skyrmions even under a strong magnetic field. This work provides not only an efficient method for obtaining ferromagnetic materials with strong DMI but also a theoretical guidance for the synthesis of TMDs via experiments.

Observation of Circular Dichroism Induced by Electronic Chirality.

Chiral phases of matter, characterized by a definite handedness, abound in nature, ranging from the crystal structure of quartz to spiraling spin states in helical magnets. In 1T-TiSe_{2} a source of chirality has been proposed that stands apart from these classical examples as it arises from combined electronic charge and quantum orbital fluctuations. This may allow its chirality to be accessed and manipulated without imposing either structural or magnetic handedness. However, direct bulk evidence that broken inversion symmetry and chirality are intrinsic to TiSe_{2} remains elusive. Here, employing resonant elastic x-ray scattering technique, we reveal the presence of circular dichroism, i.e., polarization dependence of the resonant diffraction intensity, up to ∼40% at forbidden Bragg peaks that emerge at the charge and orbital ordering transition. The dichroism varies dramatically with incident energy and azimuthal angle. Comparison to calculated scattering intensities traces its origin to bulk chiral electronic order in TiSe_{2} and establishes resonant elastic x-ray scattering as a sensitive probe to electronic chirality.

Control of chiral damping in magnetic trilayers using He+ ion irradiation

In the forefront of spintronic advancements, structures with strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) such as Pt/Co/Pt are essential for the miniaturization and performance enhancement of high-density magnetic storage technologies. The robust PMA characteristic of these systems facilitates the development of scalable spintronic devices, crucial for next-generation magnetic memory applications. This study investigates the interplay between PMA and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI)—an antisymmetric exchange interaction prevalent in non-centrosymmetric magnetic systems—and its dissipative counterpart, chiral damping. While chiral damping arises from the same broken inversion symmetry as DMI, it typically introduces an additional energy dissipation channel, reducing device efficiency. Our research examines the effects of controlled helium ion (He+) irradiation on a Pt/Co/Pt system. We find that ion beam irradiation enhances interfacial intermixing, which correlates with a decrease in PMA. However, domain wall velocity measurements indicate a concurrent reduction in both DMI and chiral damping, along with enhanced velocities as irradiation fluence increases. These observations suggest that ion beam irradiation can be judiciously applied to achieve a balance between lower DMI, chiral damping, and reasonable PMA, thereby optimizing the system for improved device performance.

Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Switching in Janus Chromium Dichalcogenides.

We predict a very large spin-orbit torque (SOT) capability of magnetic chromium-based transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers in their Janus forms CrXTe, with X = S, Se. The structural inversion symmetry breaking, inherent to Janus structures is responsible for a large SOT response generated by giant Rashba splitting, equivalent to that obtained by applying a transverse electric field of ∼100 V nm-1 in non-Janus CrTe2, completely out of experimental reach. By performing transport simulations on carefully derived Wannier tight-binding models, Janus systems are found to exhibit an SOT performance comparable to the most efficient two-dimensional materials, while additionally allowing for field-free perpendicular magnetization switching, due to their reduced in-plane symmetry. Altogether, our findings evidence that magnetic Janus TMDs stand as suitable candidates for ultimate SOT-MRAM devices in an ultracompact self-induced SOT scheme.

Prediction of Intriguing Valley Properties in Two-Dimensional Hf2TeIX (X = I, Br) Monolayers

The valley degree of freedom, as a new information carrier, is important for basic physical research and the development of advanced devices. Herein, using first-principle calculations, we predict that two-dimensional Hf2TeIX (X = I, Br) monolayers harbor intriguing valley properties. Without considering spin–orbit coupling (SOC), the Hf2TeI2 monolayer has a semi-metallic nature, with Dirac cones located at the high-symmetry point K, and feature, with considerable Fermi velocity. When the SOC is taken into account, a band gap opening of 271 meV can be observed at the Dirac cones. More interestingly, the Hf2TeIBr monolayer exhibits intrinsic spatial inversion symmetry breaking, which leads to the emergence of valley-contrasting physics under SOC. This is demonstrated by the presence of spin–valley splitting and opposite Berry curvature at adjacent K points. Besides, the spin–valley splitting, the band gap and magnitude of the Berry curvature of the Hf2TeIBr monolayer can be effectively tuned by strain engineering. These findings contribute significantly to the design of valleytronic devices and extend opportunities for exploring two-dimensional valley materials.

Chirality and Solvent Coassist the Structural Evolution of Hybrid Manganese Chlorides with Second-Harmonic-Generation Response.

Chiral hybrid metal halides have shown great potential in optoelectronics, including for spin splitting, circularly polarized luminescence, and nonlinear-optical properties. However, despite their inherent inversion symmetry breaking, studies on second harmonic generation (SHG) of chiral hybrid manganese(II) halides remain relatively rare. Here, we report a series of structurally diverse hybrid manganese(II) chlorides: (Rac-MBA)2[MnCl4(H2O)2] (1), (S-MBA)2[MnCl4(H2O)2] (2), (S-MBA)2[Mn2Cl6(H2O)4] (3), and (S-MBA)[MnCl3(MeOH)] (4), where MBA = α-methylbenzylammonium, providing tunability of the coordination environment and structural dimensionality via fine control of the MBA cation chiral state and crystal preparation process, thereby enabling modulation of the SHG effects. Specifically, as the amount of methanol increases during the crystal preparation process, the structures of the chiral compounds vary from a 0D structure consisting of isolated octahedra to a 0D structure composed of octahedra dimers and to 1D chains of edge-sharing Mn-centered octahedra. In contrast, the structure of the racemic compound remains unchanged, independent of the crystal preparation pathway. The structural details, including the coordination environment, H-bonding, dimensionality, and lattice distortion, are described. The SHG response of the racemic compound derives only from the inorganic lattice, while the responses of the chiral compounds are attributed to the synergetic effect of the chiral cations and inorganic moieties.

Valley selections and control of topological phases by bicircular laser field in transition-metal dichalcogenides

The energy spectra of transition metal dichalcogenides are influenced by three orbitals, forming a three-band model with strong spin-orbit interaction. Analyzing these bands through a two-band projection suffices for exploring electronic and optical properties. We examine topological phases and the spin-valley Hall effect, derived from spin-valley Chern numbers. Spin-orbit interaction breaks inversion symmetry but preserves time-reversal symmetry, resulting in non-zero spin-valley-dependent Hall conductivities, crucial for both spin and valley Hall effects. Interestingly, direct optical manipulation of the valley degree of freedom can be achieved using a trefoil field generated by a bicircular field. Selectable valley conductivity occurs when the field orientation matches the lattice symmetry, leading to a quantum anomalous Hall effect without magnetization. This approach suggests the potential for valley selection via field orientation, with applications in valleytronics and spintronics devices, enabling qubit encoding.

Spin-polarized second-order nonlinear Hall effect in 8-Pmmn monolayer borophene

The second-order nonlinear Hall effect in 8-Pmmn monolayer borophene under the influence of an out-of-plane electric field and intrinsic spin–orbit interaction is reported. This unconventional response sensitive to the breaking of discrete and crystal symmetries can be tuned by the applied electric field, which can vary the bandgap induced by spin–orbit coupling. It is described by a Hall conductivity tensor that depends quadratically on the applied electric field. We find that the nonlinear Hall effect strongly depends on the spin polarization. In particular, it exhibits out of the phase character for spin-up and spin-down states. Remarkably, it undergoes a phase flip in the spin-up state at a large out-of-plane electric field that generates a staggered sublattice potential greater than the spin–orbit interaction strength. It is shown that the nonlinear Hall effect in the system originates from the broken inversion symmetry that plays an indispensable role in developing finite Berry curvature and its relevant dipole moment. It is found that at zero temperature, the nonlinear Hall response is maximal when the Fermi energy is twice the bandgap parameter and vanishes at large Fermi energies. Notably, the peak of nonlinear Hall response shifts to lower Fermi energies at finite temperature.

Near Ultraviolet‐Excitable Cyan‐Emissive Hybrid Copper(I) Halides Nonlinear Optical Crystals with Near‐Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Yield and High‐Efficiency X‐ray Scintillation

AbstractDesigning and synthesizing multifunctional hybrid copper halides with near ultraviolet (NUV) light‐excited high‐energy emission (&lt;500 nm) remains challenging. Here, a pair of broadband‐excited high‐energy emitting isomers, namely, α‐/β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 (MePh3P=methyltriphenylphosphonium), were synthesized. α‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 with blue emission peaking at 475 nm is firstly discovered wherein its structure contains regular [CuI3]2− triangles and crystallizes in centrosymmetric space group P21/c. While β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 featuring distorted [CuI3]2− planar triangles shows inversion symmetry breaking and crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P21, which exhibits cyan emission peaking at 495 nm with prominent near‐unity photoluminescence quantum yield and the excitation band ranging from 200 to 450 nm. Intriguingly, β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 exhibits phase‐matchable second‐harmonic generation response of 0.54×KDP and a suitable birefringence of 0.06@1064 nm. Furthermore, β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 also can be excited by X‐ray radioluminescence with a high scintillation light yield of 16193 photon/MeV and an ultra‐low detection limit of 47.97 nGy/s, which is only 0.87 % of the standard medical diagnosis (5.5 μGy/s). This work not only promotes the development of solid‐state lighting, laser frequency conversion and X‐ray imaging, but also provides a reference for constructing multifunctional hybrid metal halides.

Characterization of ferromagnetic semiconductors and valley polarization in janus VBXS2(X = N, P) monolayers

The manipulation of the valley degree of freedom has attracted increasing attention in both fundamental scientific research and emerging applications. Here, we employ first-principles calculations to investigate the structural stability and electronic properties of Janus monolayers of VBXS2 (X=N, P). These materials exhibit characteristics of ferromagnetic semiconductors, with their valence band maximum located at the K/K′ point. Due to the combined effects of inversion symmetry breaking and time reversal symmetry breaking, VBNS2 and VBPS2 exhibit exotic spontaneous valley polarization in their top valence bands, measured at magnitudes of 48.6 meV and 47.6 meV, respectively. Consequently, this phenomenon potentially enables the observation of the anomalous valley Hall effect (AVHE). The unique electronic and valleytronic properties exhibited by Janus VBXS2 suggest a feasible experimental avenue for exploring ferrovalley (FV) and valley-related Hall effects within a two dimensional lattice.

Terahertz oscillation driven by optical spin-orbit torque

Antiferromagnets are promising for nano-scale oscillator in a wide frequency range from gigahertz up to terahertz. Experimentally realizing antiferromagnetic moment oscillation via spin-orbit torque, however, remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the optical spin-orbit torque induced by circularly polarized laser can be used to drive free decaying oscillations with a frequency of 2 THz in metallic antiferromagnetic Mn2Au thin films. Due to the local inversion symmetry breaking of Mn2Au, ultrafast a.c. current is generated via spin-to-charge conversion, which can be detected through free-space terahertz emission. Both antiferromagnetic moments switching experiments and dynamics analyses unravel the antiferromagnetic moments, driven by optical spin-orbit torque, deviate from its equilibrium position, and oscillate back in 5 ps once optical spin-orbit torque is removed. Besides the fundamental significance, our finding opens a new route towards low-dissipation and controllable antiferromagnet-based spin-torque oscillators.

Synthetic Weyl points in plasmonic chain with simultaneous inversion and reflection symmetry breaking

Synthetic Weyl points in plasmonic chain with simultaneous inversion and reflection symmetry breaking

Second-order Willis metamaterials: Gradient elasto-momentum coupling in flexoelectric composites

Willis materials are composites whose the overall constitutive relations exhibit coupling between momentum and strain. Recently, piezoelectric Willis materials have been studied, allowing the macroscopic momentum to be additionally coupled to the non-mechanical stimulus. Such metamaterials classified as first-order Willis materials generate cross-couplings due to their asymmetric microstructures in order to realize novel phenomena in wave propagation. In this work, we study Willis materials that are flexoelectric and offer an electric field induced by a strain gradient. We show that in the case of flexoelectric Willis materials, the momentum also gets coupled to the strain gradient term under an effective description. Hereby, an ensemble averaging-based dynamic homogenization theory is developed for flexoelectric composites to compute constitutive relations of the macroscopic fields. This second-order Willis metamaterial offers a novel coupling termed gradient elasto-momentum coupling. The presence of non-uniform strain that can break the inversion symmetry of a unit cell is thus significant in generating the imaginary portion of all cross-couplings in the absence of asymmetric microstructures.