Atomically Sharp 1D Interfaces in 2D Lateral Heterostructures of VSe₂─NbSe₂ Monolayers.

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Van der Waals heterostructures are promising for engineered electronic states.
• High-quality lateral heterostructures with sharp interfaces are experimentally challenging to create.
• Previous research focused mainly on vertical heterostructures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for synthesizing atomically well-defined lateral heterostructures.
• To investigate the electronic structure and properties of 1T-VSe2–1H-NbSe2 lateral heterostructures.
• To explore the potential of lateral heterostructures for creating novel electronic states.

Main Methods:

• Employed a one-pot two-step molecular beam lateral epitaxy approach.
• Synthesized 1T-VSe2–1H-NbSe2 lateral heterostructures.
• Utilized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations for characterization.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized defect-free lateral heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces.
• Observed additional electronic states at the 1D interface.
• Detected signatures of Kondo resonances in a side-coupled geometry.

Conclusions:

• The developed epitaxy method enables the creation of high-quality lateral heterostructures.
• These heterostructures host unique electronic states, including those at the interface and Kondo resonances.
• Lateral heterostructures offer a powerful platform for designing artificial quantum materials.