Gradual Band Evolution at the Electron-Correlated Interface in a Laterally Hetero-Epitaxial Two-Dimensional...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Interfacial band evolution significantly impacts heterostructure performance, particularly in 2D lateral heterostructures.
• Research on 2D electron-correlated heterostructures for quantum devices is limited by fabrication challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a controllable fabrication strategy for 2D electron-correlated heterostructures.
• To visualize the band evolution at the interface of a 1T-NbSe2/1T-VSe2 heterostructure.

Main Methods:

• Laterally epitaxial fabrication of 1T-NbSe2/1T-VSe2 heterostructures.
• Atomic-resolution characterization techniques.
• Visualization of interfacial band structure.

Main Results:

• Successful adjacent growth of 2D VSe2 next to 1T-NbSe2 with a well-aligned atomic lattice.
• Visualization of a continuous band profile at the electron-correlated interface.
• Observed gentle evolution of Mott-Hubbard bands, including gradual band bending and Mott-Hubbard gap shrinkage.

Conclusions:

• A novel strategy for fabricating and visualizing 2D electron-correlated heterostructures has been established.
• The findings provide a foundation for fundamental studies and future applications of these materials in quantum devices.