Interlayer Electric Field Research Articles

Spin-valley filter effect and Seebeck effect in a silicene based antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic junction

The presence of the coupled spin and valley degrees of freedom makes silicene an important material for spintronics and valleytronics. Here we report a spin-valley filter effect in a silicene based antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic junction. It is found that at zero Fermi level a valley locked bipolar spin filter effect is observed, where in a broad gate voltage range in one valley one spin (the other spin) electrons contribute to the current under the positive (negative) bias, but in the other valley the transport is forbidden. At the finite Fermi level a valley locked fully spin-polarized current can exist under both the positive and negative biases. Furthermore, at the high Fermi level by reversing the bias direction, the spin filter effect can switch to the valley filter effect. In addition, by changing the sign of the Fermi level, the spin polarization direction of the current can be reversed. If a temperature bias is applied, the spin-dependent Seebeck effect (SSE) always exists. With increasing the temperature bias, the system undergoes three regions: valley locked SSE, normal SSE and valley Seebeck effect. Moreover, by tuning the interlayer electric field, three phases: thermally induced valley locked spin filter effect, valley Seebeck effect and valley mixed Seebeck effect are observed.

Electrically Tunable Flat Bands and Magnetism in Twisted Bilayer Graphene.

Twisted graphene bilayers provide a versatile platform to engineer metamaterials with novel emergent properties by exploiting the resulting geometric moiré superlattice. Such superlattices are known to host bulk valley currents at tiny angles (α≈0.3°) and flat bands at magic angles (α≈1°). We show that tuning the twist angle to α^{*}≈0.8° generates flat bands away from charge neutrality with a triangular superlattice periodicity. When doped with ±6 electrons per moiré cell, these bands are half-filled and electronic interactions produce a symmetry-broken ground state (Stoner instability) with spin-polarized regions that order ferromagnetically. Application of an interlayer electric field breaks inversion symmetry and introduces valley-dependent dispersion that quenches the magnetic order. With these results, we propose a solid-state platform that realizes electrically tunable strong correlations.

Quantum Hall ferroelectric helix in bilayer graphene

We re-examine the nature of the ground states of bilayer graphene at odd integer filling factors within a simplified model of nearly degenerate $n=0$ and $n=1$ Landau levels. Previous Hartree-Fock studies have found that ferroelectric states with orbital coherence can be stabilized by tuning the orbital splitting between these levels. These studies indicated that, in addition to a uniform ferroelectric state, a helical ferroelectric phase with spontaneously broken translational symmetry is possible. By performing exact diagonalization on the torus, we argue that the system does not have a uniform coherent state but instead transitions directly from the uniform incoherent state into the ferroelectric helical phase. We argue that there is a realistic prospect to stabilize the helical ferroelectric state in bilayer graphene by tuning the interlayer electric field in a model that includes all single particle corrections to its zero energy eight-fold multiplet of Landau levels.

Giant Seebeck magnetoresistance triggered by electric field and assisted by a valley through a ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic junction in heavy group-IV monolayers

Electrons in heavy group-IV monolayers, including silicene, germanene, and stanene, have the ability to exhibit rich physics due to the compatibility of the spin and valley degrees of freedom. We propose here that a valley-mediated giant Seebeck magnetoresistance (MR) effect, triggered and controlled by an interlayer electric field ${E}_{z}$, can be engineered near room temperature in a ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (FM/AFM) junction based on heavy group-IV monolayers, where the FM and AFM fields can be induced by the proximity effect, and ${E}_{z}$ is locally applied in the AFM region. Attributed to the specific tunneling mechanism of spin-valley matching, the high thermal MR state is dominated by a Seebeck state with nearly pure spin current (no charge current) from one valley under ${E}_{z}=0$, while the low thermal MR state is dominated by a spin filter state from the other valley under ${E}_{z}\ensuremath{\ne}0$. We also demonstrate that such a giant Seebeck MR effect is robust against the small perturbation of the Fermi level, and is sensitive to ${E}_{z}$ by changing the electron-hole transport symmetry and tuning the bands. Further calculations indicate that the Seebeck MR effect is relatively too weak in other magnetic junctions, typically the FM/${E}_{z}$ and AFM/${E}_{z}$ junctions, even when the pure-spin-current state is present. These findings may pave the way for heavy group-IV monolayers in developing valley-assisted thermomagnetic storing and reading technologies in future spin caloritronic devices.

Intrinsic Electric Field-Induced Properties in Janus MoSSe van der Waals Structures.

Focusing on two-dimensional (2D) Janus MoSSe monolayers, we show that simultaneously existing in-plane and out-of-plane intrinsic electric fields cause Zeeman- and Rashba-type spin splitting, respectively. In MoSSe van der Waals (vdW) structures, intrinsic electric field results in a large interlayer band offset. Therefore, large interlayer band offset, being the driving force for interlayer excitons, endows ultralong lifetimes to excitons and might dissociate excitons into free carriers. In comparison to its parent structure (i.e., MoS2), MoSSe vdW structures are rather appealing for new concepts in light-electricity interconversion. In addition, the Rashba effects could be tuned by changing the interlayer distances due to the competition between the intralayer and interlayer electric field. Due to the large band offset, valley polarization relaxation is markedly reduced, promising enhanced valley polarization and ultralong valley lifetimes. As a result, MoSSe vdW structures harbor strong valley-contrasting physics, making them competitive systems to their parent structures.

Achieving a direct band gap and high power conversion efficiency in an SbI3/BiI3 type-II vdW heterostructure via interlayer compression and electric field application.

Type-II van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures are considered as a class of competitive candidates of high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, due to their spontaneous electron-hole separation. However, most of the vdW heterostructures possess an indirect gap and a large band offset, which would lead to low photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. Taking an SbI3/BiI3 vdW heterostructure as an illustrative example, we propose interlayer compression and vertical electric field application as two effective strategies to modulate the electronic and photovoltaic properties of type-II vdW heterostructures. Our results reveal that a lattice-matched SbI3/BiI3 vdW heterostructure has an indirect band gap of 1.34 eV with the conduction band minimum (CBM) at the Γ point and the valence band maximum (VBM) between the Γ and M points. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of an SbI3/BiI3-based excitonic solar cell (XSC) is predicted to be about 14.42%. When compressing the heterostructure along the vdW gap direction, the highest valence band state at the Γ point is lifted significantly and the VBM gradually approaches the Γ point, implying an indirect-direct gap transition. This interesting evolution can be attributed to the increasing k-dependent electronic hybridization of the pz orbitals of interlayer adjacent I atoms with a reduced interlayer distance. Moreover, the interlayer compression also enhances the PCE of the system monotonically. When applying a vertical electric field, the band alignment of the heterostructure undergoes a transition from type-II to type-I and then returns to type-II between 0.1 and 0.6 V Å-1. Meanwhile, the PCE of the SbI3/BiI3 XSC could be enhanced up to 21.63%. This work provides guidance for improving the electronic and photovoltaic properties of type-II vdW heterostructures.

Computational design of GeSe/graphene heterojunction based on density functional theory

Based on density functional theory, we computational designed the hetero junction composed by GeSe monolayer and graphene. The effects of interlayer coupling, strains and electric fields on the electronic structures of the designed GeSe/graphene (G/g) hetero structure are explored. We demonstrated that both the intrinsic electric properties of the GeSe monolayer and graphene are well preserved in G/g hetero structure. It is found that an energy gap of 0.17 eV in graphene is opened by decreasing the interlayer distance in G/g hetero structure. The height of Schottky barrier can be effectively tuned by the interlayer distance between GeSe monolayer and graphene. Moreover, we found that applying in-plane strains and the electric fields perpendicular to the G/g hetero structure can control the Schottky barriers at the G/g interface. Our results predict that the ultra-thin G/g hetero structure can be used as two-dimensional semiconductor-based optoelectronic devices.

Valley-locked thermospin effect in silicene and germanene with asymmetric magnetic field induced by ferromagnetic proximity effect

Silicene and germanene, as graphenelike materials with observable spin-orbit couplings and two distinctive valleys, have potential applications in future low-dissipation spintronics and valleytronics. We here propose a magnetic system of silicene or germanene intercalated between two ferromagetic (FM) dielectric layers, and find that the system with a proximity-induced asymmetric magnetic field supports an attractive phenomenon named the valley-locked spin-dependent Seebeck effect (VL-SSE) driven by a thermal gradient. The VL-SSE indicates that the carries from only one valley could be thermally excited, with opposite spin polarization counterpropagating along the thermal gradient direction, while nearly no carrier from the other insulating valley is excited due to the relatively wide band gap. It is also illustrated that the VL-SSE here does not survive in the usual FM or anti-FM systems, and can be destroyed by the overlarge temperature broadening. Moreover, we prove that the signal for VL-SSE can be weakened gradually with the enhancement of the local interlayer electric field, and be strengthened lineally by increasing the source-drain temperature difference in a caloritronic field effect transistor. Further calculations indicate that the VL-SSE is robust against many perturbations, including the global and local Fermi levels as well as the magnetic strength. These findings about the valley-locked thermospin effect provide a nontrivial and convenient dimension to control the quantum numbers of spin and valley and are expected to be applied in future spin-valley logic circuits and energy-saving devices.

Predicting Two-Dimensional C3B/C3N van der Waals p-n Heterojunction with Strong Interlayer Electron Coupling and Enhanced Photocurrent.

The interlayer coupling in 2D van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures (HTS) plays the main role in generating new physics. However, the interlayer coupling is often weak, and little information on the strength of interlayer interaction in HTS is available. On the basis of density functional theory, we demonstrate that an effective electron coupling can be created in 2D C3B/C3N vdW HTS. The experimentally synthesized monolayers C3B and C3N are p- and n-type doped large gap semiconductors, respectively. However, the formed vdW HTS exhibits novel Dirac fermion. The strong interlayer electron coupling results in a large interlayer built-in electric field and improved optical properties of the 2D C3B/C3N vdW HTS. Moreover, a simple tight-binding model of C3B/C3N HTS with the nonzero interlayer hopping parameters captures the physical picture of interlayer coupling. Our results demonstrate the importance of interlayer electron coupling in the modulation of materials properties of 2D vdW HTS.

Valley-selective topologically ordered states in irradiated bilayer graphene

Gapless bilayer graphene is susceptible to a variety of spontaneously gapped states. As predicted by theory and observed by experiment, the ground state is, however, topologically trivial, because a valley-independent gap is energetically favorable. Here, we show that under the application of interlayer electric field and circularly polarized light, one valley can be selected to exhibit the original interaction instability while the other is frozen out. Tuning this Floquet system stabilizes multiple competing topologically ordered states, distinguishable by edge transport and circular dichroism. Notably, quantized charge, spin, and valley Hall conductivities coexist in one stabilized state.

Valley–spin Seebeck effect in heavy group-IV monolayers

Akin to electron spin, the valley has become another highly valued degree of freedom in modern electronics, specifically after tremendous studies on monolayers of group-IV materials, i.e. graphene, silicene, germanene and stanene. Except for graphene, the other heavy group-IV monolayers have observable intrinsic spin–orbit interactions due to their buckled structures. Distinct from the usual electric or optical control of valley and spin, we here employ a temperature difference to drive electron motion in ferromagnetic heavy group-IV monolayers via designing a caloritronic device locally modulated by an interlayer electric (Ez) field. A unique valley–spin Seebeck (VSS) effect is discovered, with the current contributed only by one (the other) valley and one (the other) spin moving along one (the opposite) direction. This effect is suggested to be detected below the critical temperature about 18 K for silicene, 200 K for germanene and 400 K for stanene, arising from the characteristic valley–spin nondegenerate band structures tuned by the Ez field, but cannot be driven in graphene without spin–orbit interaction. Above the critical temperature, the VSS effect is broken by overlarge temperature broadening. Besides the temperature, it is also found that the Ez field can drive a transition between the VSS effect and the normal spin Seebeck effect. Further calculations indicate that the VSS effect is robust against many realistic perturbations. Our research represents a conceptually but substantially major step towards the study of the Seebeck effect. These findings provide a platform for encoding information simultaneously by the valley and spin quantum numbers of electrons in future thermal-logic circuits and energy-saving devices.

Effects of the Interlayer Interaction and Electric Field on the Band Gap of Polar Bilayers: A Case Study of Sc2CO2

The two-dimensional Sc2CO2 monolayer has net dipole moments as compared with other functional transition metal carbides. This unique feature may provide potential routes to tune its electronic properties. Herein, the band gap engineering of Sc2CO2 bilayers is investigated by the density functional calculation. We found that the band gap of Sc2CO2 bilayers is not only dependent on the relative stacking position and distance but also on the magnitude and direction of external electric field. The competition between the interlayer van der Waals and electrostatic interactions has been revealed as the dominant mechanism for the band gap modulation of polar bilayers. This works demonstrate that polar bilayers exhibit richer electronic properties than the nonpolar one. The interlayer electric field may be utilized to fabricate novel electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Bipolar spin-valley diode effect in a silicene magnetic junction

Silicene has attracted much attention recently due to the electrons' multiple degrees of freedom, specifically for spin and valley. We here demonstrate that a bipolar spin-valley diode effect can be driven and controlled by applying longitudinal biases through a silicene ferromagnetic-field/interlayer-electric-field junction. This effect indicates that only one-spin (the other spin) electrons from one valley (the other valley) contribute to the conductance under positive (negative) biases, originating from the specific band-matching tunneling mechanism. All the forbidden channels are induced by either spin-mismatch or spin-valley dependent bandgaps. It is also found that, by reversing the direction of interlayer electric field, the conductive valley can be switched to the other while the spin orientation is reserved. Furthermore, all the possible spin-valley configurations of conductance, contributed by single spin and single valley, can be completely turned “on” or “off” only by tuning the bias and the electric field. These results suggest that silicene can be a good candidate for future quantum information processing in spin-valley logic circuits.

Effects of interlayer coupling and electric fields on the electronic structures of graphene and MoS2heterobilayers

The effects of interlayer coupling and electric fields can be used to effectively control the Schottky barriers and contact formation at the interface of graphene and MoS2heterobilayers.

Valley Chern numbers and boundary modes in gapped bilayer graphene

Electronic states at domain walls in bilayer graphene are studied by analyzing their four- and two-band continuum models, by performing numerical calculations on the lattice, and by using quantum geometric arguments. The continuum theories explain the distinct electronic properties of boundary modes localized near domain walls formed by interlayer electric field reversal, by interlayer stacking reversal, and by simultaneous reversal of both quantities. Boundary mode properties are related to topological transitions and gap closures, which occur in the bulk Hamiltonian parameter space. The important role played by intervalley coupling effects not directly captured by the continuum model is addressed using lattice calculations for specific domain wall structures.

Band Gap Engineering of BN Sheets by Interlayer Dihydrogen Bonding and Electric Field Control

An unconventional bonding: The presence of interlayer B-H⋅⋅⋅H-N dihydrogen bonds in hydrogenated bilayer BN nanosheets reduces the intrinsic large band gap of the chair-type BN conformation owing to interlayer charge transfer. In contrast, the insulating properties of the thermodynamically more stable stirrup-type bilayer BN can be engineered by applying an electric field. These results illuminate a new pathway for band gap engineering of 2D BN nanomaterials.

Distinguishing Spontaneous Quantum Hall States in Bilayer Graphene

Chirally stacked N-layer graphene with N≥2 is susceptible to a variety of distinct broken symmetry states in which each spin-valley flavor spontaneously transfers charge between layers. In mean-field theory, one of the likely candidate ground states for a neutral bilayer is the layer antiferromagnet that has opposite spin polarizations in opposite layers. In this Letter, we analyze how the layer antiferromagnet and other competing states are influenced by Zeeman fields that couple to spin and by interlayer electric fields that couple to layer pseudospin, and comment on the possibility of using Zeeman responses and edge state signatures to identify the character of the bilayer ground state experimentally.

Observation of Angle-Dependent Stark Cyclotron Resonance in a Layered Organic Conductor

We report novel angle-dependent magnetotransport phenomena in quasi-two-dimensional layered conductors under interlayer electric fields. Interlayer conduction shows the Stark cyclotron resonance when the orbital motion of an electron becomes periodic in k -space, and the amplitude of the reasonance oscillates depending on magnetic field orientations. A conventional angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillation switches to this oscillation at high electric fields. Using the organic conductor α-(BEDT-TTF) 2 NH 4 Hg(SCN) 4 , we have successfully observed an angle-dependent Stark cyclotron resonance for the first time.

First observation of angle-dependent Stark cyclotron resonance in bulk crystals: High-electric-field interlayer magnetotransport in a layered organic conductor

We report a novel angle-dependent magnetotransport phenomenon in layered conductors under strong interlayer electric fields. Interlayer conduction shows the Stark cyclotron resonance (SCR) when electron orbital motion becomes periodic in k-space. The SCR amplitude oscillates depending on magnetic field orientations. The conventional angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillation (AMRO) switches to the angle-dependent SCR in high electric fields. We predict angle-dependent SCR due to electron orbital motion in layered conductors with coherent interlayer coupling. In addition, we demonstrate the expected switching from conventional AMRO to angle-dependent SCR in high electric fields using an organic conductor α-(BEDT-TTF) 2NH 4Hg(SCN) 4. This is the first observation of the SCR with orbital origin in bulk crystals.

Layer interdependence of transport in an undoped electron-hole bilayer

The layer interdependence of transport in an undoped electron-hole bilayer (UEHBL) device was studied as a function of carrier density, interlayer electric field, and temperature. The UEHBL device consisted of a density tunable, independently contacted two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) in distinct (100) GaAs quantum wells separated by a 30 nm ${\text{Al}}_{0.9}{\text{Ga}}_{0.1}\text{As}$ barrier. The 2DEG and 2DHG are induced via field effect by top and bottom gates, respectively. Transport measurements were made simultaneously on each layer using the van der Pauw method. An increase in 2DHG mobility with increasing 2DEG density was observed, while the 2DEG mobility showed minimal dependence on the 2DHG density. Changes in both surface-gate voltages for the mobility-density measurements were observed. Decreasing the interlayer electric field and thereby increasing interlayer separation also increased the 2DHG mobility with negligible effects on the 2DEG mobility. The change in interlayer separation as interlayer electric field changed was estimated using 2DHG Coulomb drag measurements. A general discussion of the results is given in which the possible sources for the apparent interlayer dependence of the hole transport are examined.