Submicrometer-thick UTe₂ flake achieved by mechanical exfoliation.

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Materials

Background:

• Uranium ditelluride (UTe₂) is a promising topological superconductor.
• Fabricating devices from UTe₂ is crucial for understanding its physics and applications.
• Non-van der Waals materials like UTe₂ possess natural cleavage planes facilitating exfoliation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the mechanical exfoliation of uranium ditelluride (UTe₂) into thin flakes.
• To fabricate electrical devices using these exfoliated UTe₂ flakes.
• To investigate the electrical transport properties and surface characteristics of exfoliated UTe₂.

Main Methods:

• Mechanical exfoliation of uranium ditelluride (UTe₂) crystals to obtain sub-micron thick flakes.
• Fabrication of electrical contacts on the exfoliated UTe₂ flakes.
• Electrical transport measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field.

Main Results:

• Successful exfoliation of UTe₂ down to sub-micron thicknesses.
• Fabrication of functional electrical devices from exfoliated UTe₂ flakes.
• Electrical transport properties are consistent with crystallographic orientations; thin flakes allow critical current and surface oxidation measurements.

Conclusions:

• The developed exfoliation technique is effective for UTe₂ device fabrication.
• This method enables the study of properties difficult to probe in bulk crystals.
• The approach is applicable to other non-van der Waals materials with easy-cleavage planes.