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Spatially Extended Charge Density Wave Switching by Nanoscale Local Manipulation in a VTe2 Monolayer.
Ulysse Chazarin1,2, Mahé Lezoualc'h3, Abhishek Karn2
1Université Paris Cité, Laboratoire Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques, CNRS, F-75013 Paris, France.
Nano Letters
|March 7, 2024
Summary
Researchers dynamically switched between charge density wave (CDW) phases in VTe2 using scanning tunneling microscopy. This manipulation of electronic CDW phases offers new ways to tailor material properties.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are crucial in condensed matter physics.
- Vanadium ditelluride (VTe2) exhibits distinct charge density wave (CDW) phases, including (4 × 4) and (4 × 1) symmetries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamic switching between different CDW phases in monolayer VTe2.
- To explore the feasibility of manipulating CDW states using external stimuli like bias pulses.
Main Methods:
- Utilized scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to probe and manipulate CDW phases.
- Applied gentle bias pulses to induce reversible switching between (4 × 4) and (4 × 1) CDW states.
- Performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations to determine energy barriers for phase switching.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated facile, tens-of-nanometers scale dynamic switching between isotropic (4 × 4) and anisotropic (4 × 1) CDW phases.
- Observed reversible CDW symmetry changes, phase slips, and rotations triggered by bias pulses.
- Identified a switching threshold of ~1.0 V, independent of bias polarity, with switching rate proportional to tunneling current.
- DFT calculations revealed energy barriers of ~2.0-3.0 eV per (4 × 4) unit cell for coherent CDW phase switching.
Conclusions:
- Successfully demonstrated electrical control over CDW phase transitions in monolayer VTe2.
- The findings provide a pathway for on-demand tailoring of CDW properties.
- Further research is needed to fully understand large-area CDW fluttering phenomena.
Keywords:
VTe2charge density wavedensity functional theorymonolayerscanning tunneling microscopetransition metal dichalcogenidesMore Related Videos
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