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Advanced Experimental Methods for Low-temperature Magnetotransport Measurement of Novel Materials
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Achieving environmental stability in an atomically thin quantum spin Hall insulator via graphene intercalation
Cedric Schmitt1,2, Jonas Erhardt1,2, Philipp Eck2,3
1Physikalisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany.
Nature Communications
|February 19, 2024
Summary
Protecting indenene, a quantum spin Hall insulator, from air is crucial for spintronics. Intercalating it into graphene shields its topological properties, enabling device fabrication.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Materials
Background:
- Atomic monolayers are emerging functional quantum materials in 2D.
- Indenene is a triangular indium monolayer and a quantum spin Hall insulator.
- Its topological character's instability in air challenges room-temperature spintronics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a strategy for protecting indenene's topological nature.
- To enable ex situ processing and device fabrication of indenene.
Main Methods:
- Epitaxial growth of indenene on SiC(0001).
- Intercalation of indenene into epitaxial graphene.
- Characterization of topological properties preservation.
Main Results:
- Graphene intercalation effectively protects indenene from oxidation.
- The topological character of indenene is preserved after intercalation.
- Micron-scale indenene growth on SiC(0001) is technologically relevant.
Conclusions:
- Intercalation provides a viable strategy for protecting indenene.
- This method enables realistic device fabrication for monolayer quantum spin Hall insulators.
- Access to topologically protected edge channels is facilitated.
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