Polytypism, polymorphism, and superconductivity in TaSe(2-x)Te(x)

Novel Polytype of III-VI Metal Chalcogenides Nano Crystals Realized in Epitaxially Grown InTe

III-VI metal chalcogenides have garnered considerable research attention as a novel group of layered van der Waals materials because of their exceptional physical properties and potential technological applications. Here, the epitaxial growth and stacking sequences of InTe is reported, an essential and intriguing material from III-VI metal chalcogenides. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is utilized to directly reveal the interlayer stacking modes and atomic structure, leading to a discussion of a new polytype. Furthermore, correlations between the stacking sequences and interlayer distances are substantiated by atomic-resolution STEM analysis, which offers evidence for strong interlayer coupling of the new polytype. It is proposed that layer-by-layer deposition is responsible for the formation of the unconventional stacking order, which is supported by ab initio density functional theory calculations. The results thus establish molecular beam epitaxy as a viable approach for synthesizing novel polytypes. The experimental validation of the InTe polytype here expands the family of materials in the III-VI metal chalcogenides while suggesting the possibility of new stacking sequences for known materials in this system.

Selective Control of Phases and Electronic Structures of Monolayer TaTe2

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) films exhibit rich phases and superstructures, which can be controlled by the growth conditions as well as post-growth annealing treatment. Here, the selective growth of monolayer TaTe2 films with different phases as well as superstructures using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is reported. Monolayer 1H-TaTe2 and 1T-TaTe2 films can be selectively controlled by varying the growth temperature, and their different electronic structures are revealed through the combination of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements (ARPES) and first-principles calculations. Moreover, post-growth annealing of the 1H-TaTe2 film further leads to a transition from a19 × 19 $\sqrt {19}{\times }\sqrt {19}$ superstructure to a new 2 × 2 superstructure, where two gaps are observed in the electronic structure and persist up to room temperature. First-principles calculations reveal the role of the phonon instability in the formation of superstructures and the effect of local atomic distortions on the modified electronic structures. This work demonstrates the manipulation of the rich phases and superstructures of monolayer TaTe2 films by controlling the growth kinetics and post-growth annealing.

Fe Site Order and Magnetic Properties of Fe1/4NbS2

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have long been attractive to researchers for their diverse properties and high degree of tunability. Most recently, interest in magnetically intercalated TMDs has resurged due to their potential applications in spintronic devices. While certain compositions featuring the absence of inversion symmetry such as Fe1/3NbS2 and Cr1/3NbS2 have garnered the most attention, the diverse compositional space afforded through the host matrix composition as well as intercalant identity and concentration is large and remains relatively underexplored. Here, we report the magnetic ground state of Fe1/4NbS2 that was determined from low-temperature neutron powder diffraction as an A-type antiferromagnet. Despite the presence of overall inversion symmetry, the pristine compound manifests spin polarization induced by the antiferromagnetic order at generic k points, based on density functional theory band-structure calculations. Furthermore, by combining synchrotron diffraction, pair distribution function, and magnetic susceptibility measurements, we find that the magnetic properties of Fe1/4NbS2 are sensitive to the Fe site order, which can be tuned via electrochemical lithiation and thermal history.

Crystallization of FAPbI3: Polytypes and stacking faults

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the crystallization of formamidinium lead iodide. From all-atom simulations of the crystal growth process and the δ-α-phase transitions, we try to reveal the formation of various stack-faulted intermediate defected structures and report various polytypes of formamidinium lead iodide that are observed from simulations.

Entropy-Assisted, Long-Period Stacking of Honeycomb Layers in an AlB2-Type Silicide

Configurational entropy can impact crystallization processes, tipping the scales between structures of nearly equal internal energy. Using alloyed single crystals of Gd₂PdSi₃ in the AlB₂-type structure, we explore the formation of complex layer sequences made from alternating, two-dimensional triangular and honeycomb slabs. A four-period and an eight-period stacking sequence are found to be very close in internal energy, the latter being favored by entropy associated with covering the full configuration space of interlayer bonds. Possible consequences of polytype formation on magnetism in Gd₂PdSi₃ are discussed.

Converting a Monolayered NbSe2 into an Ising Superconductor with Nontrivial Band Topology via Physical or Chemical Pressuring

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides possessing superconductivity and strong spin-orbit coupling exhibit high in-plane upper critical fields due to Ising pairing. Yet to date, whether such systems can become topological Ising superconductors remains to be materialized. Here we show that monolayered NbSe₂ can be converted into Ising superconductors with nontrivial band topology via physical or chemical pressuring. Using first-principles calculations, we first demonstrate that a hydrostatic pressure higher than 2.5 GPa can induce a p-d band inversion, rendering nontrivial band topology to NbSe₂. We then illustrate that Te-doping can function as chemical pressuring in inducing nontrivial topology in NbSe_2-xTe_x with x ≥ 0.8, due to a larger atomic radius and stronger spin-orbit coupling of Te. We also evaluate the upper critical fields within both approaches, confirming the enhanced Ising superconductivity nature, as experimentally observed. Our findings may prove to be instrumental in material realization of topological Ising superconductivity in two-dimensional systems.

Superconducting dome associated with the suppression and re-emergence of charge density wave states upon sulfur substitution in CuIr2Te4chalcogenides

We report the path from the charge density wave (CDW)-bearing superconductor CuIr₂Te₄to the metal insulator transition (MIT)-bearing compound CuIr₂S₄by chemical alloying with the gradual substitution of S for Te. The evolution of structural and physical properties of the CuIr₂Te_4-xS_x(0 ⩽x⩽ 4) polycrystalline system is systemically examined. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) results imply CuIr₂Te_4-xS_x(0 ⩽x⩽ 0.5) crystallizes in a NiAs defected trigonal structure, whereas it adapts to the cubic spinel structure for 3.6 ⩽x⩽ 4 and it is a mixed phase in the doping range of 0.5 <x< 3.6. Unexpectedly, the resistivity and magnetization measurements reveal that small-concentration S substitution for Te can suppress the CDW transition, but it reappears aroundx= 0.2, and the CDW transition temperature enhances clearly asxaugments for 0.2 ⩽x⩽ 0.5. Besides, the superconducting critical temperature (T_c) first increases with S doping content and then decreases after reaching a maximumT_c= 2.82 K for CuIr₂Te_3.85S_0.15. MIT order has been observed in the spinel region (3.6 ⩽x⩽ 4) associated withT_MIincreasing withxincreasing. Finally, the rich electronic phase diagram of temperature versusxfor this CuIr₂Te_4-xS_xsystem is assembled, where the superconducting dome is associated with the suppression and re-emergence of CDW as well as MIT states at the end upon sulfur substitution in the CuIr₂Te_4-xS_xchalcogenides.

2D Layered Material Alloys: Synthesis and Application in Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices

2D layered materials (2DLMs) have come under the limelight of scientific and engineering research and broke new ground across a broad range of disciplines in the past decade. Nevertheless, the members of stoichiometric 2DLMs are relatively limited. This renders them incompetent to fulfill the multitudinous scenarios across the breadth of electronic and optoelectronic applications since the characteristics exhibited by a specific material are relatively monotonous and limited. Inspiringly, alloying of 2DLMs can markedly broaden the 2D family through composition modulation and it has ushered a whole new research domain: 2DLM alloy nano-electronics and nano-optoelectronics. This review begins with a comprehensive survey on synthetic technologies for the production of 2DLM alloys, which include chemical vapor transport, chemical vapor deposition, pulsed-laser deposition, and molecular beam epitaxy, spanning their development, as well as, advantages and disadvantages. Then, the up-to-date advances of 2DLM alloys in electronic devices are summarized. Subsequently, the up-to-date advances of 2DLM alloys in optoelectronic devices are summarized. In the end, the ongoing challenges of this emerging field are highlighted and the future opportunities are envisioned, which aim to navigate the coming exploration and fully exert the pivotal role of 2DLMs toward the next generation of electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Lucky Number 13: A 13-Layer Polytype of the Alkyne Hydrogenation Catalyst CaGaGe

Polytypism, the ability of materials to form crystal structures with different stacking sequences, occasionally causes materials with the same stoichiometry and similar local structures to have profoundly different properties. Herein, we discover a metastable 13-layer trigonal (13T) polytype of CaGaGe, a layered intermetallic phase comprised of [GaGe]^2- honeycombs separated by Ca²⁺. 13T-CaGaGe is synthesized from arc-melting the elements, and its structure is elucidated via neutron powder diffraction. Air-stable 13T-CaGaGe has one misaligned [GaGe]^2- layer for every 13 and transforms into the more stable 4-layer hexagonal (4H) CaGaGe polytype after annealing at 500 °C. Transition-metal-free 13T-CaGaGe shows remarkable activity in the catalytic hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene and ethylbenzene, much higher than the 4H polytype. This work identifies the first 13-layer polytype for any crystal structure and further establishes the influence of polytypism on catalysis.

A Noncentrosymmetric Polymorph of LuRuGe

We report a new polymorph of LuRuGe, obtained in indium flux. This phase exhibits the noncentrosymmetric ZrNiAl-type structure with the space group P6̅2m as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This polymorph can convert into another centrosymmetric polymorph (TiNiSi-type structure, space group Pnma) at high temperatures. We performed electrical transport, magnetization, and specific heat measurements on this new phase. It shows metallic behavior with a Hall sign change from negative at 2 K to positive at 125 K. LuRuGe exhibits Pauli paramagnetism as the ground state with no local magnetic moments from either the Ru or Lu site. The Debye temperature Θ = 348 K and electronic coefficient γ_e = 3.6 mJ K^-2 mol^-1 are extracted from the low-temperature specific heat data in LuRuGe. We also carried out first-principles density functional theory calculations to map out the electronic band structure and density of states. There are several electronic bands crossing the Fermi level, supporting a multiband scenario consistent with the Hall sign change. The density of states around the Fermi level is mainly from Ru 4d and Ge 4p electrons, indicating a strong hybridization between those atomic orbitals.

Angle, Spin, and Depth Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy on Quantum Materials

The role of X-ray based electron spectroscopies in determining chemical, electronic, and magnetic properties of solids has been well-known for several decades. A powerful approach is angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, whereby the kinetic energy and angle of photoelectrons emitted from a sample surface are measured. This provides a direct measurement of the electronic band structure of crystalline solids. Moreover, it yields powerful insights into the electronic interactions at play within a material and into the control of spin, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom, central pillars of future solid state science. With strong recent focus on research of lower-dimensional materials and modified electronic behavior at surfaces and interfaces, angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has become a core technique in the study of quantum materials. In this review, we provide an introduction to the technique. Through examples from several topical materials systems, including topological insulators, transition metal dichalcogenides, and transition metal oxides, we highlight the types of information which can be obtained. We show how the combination of angle, spin, time, and depth-resolved experiments are able to reveal "hidden" spectral features, connected to semiconducting, metallic and magnetic properties of solids, as well as underlining the importance of dimensional effects in quantum materials.

Polytypism and superconductivity in the NbS2 system

We report on the phase formation and the superconducting properties in the NbS2 system. Specifically, we have performed a series of standardized solid-state syntheses in this system, which allow us to establish a comprehensive synthesis map for the formation of the two polytypes 2H-NbS2 and 3R-NbS2, respectively. We show that the identification of two polytypes by means of X-ray diffraction is not always unambiguous. Our physical property measurements on a phase-pure sample of 3R-NbS2, on a phase-pure sample of 2H-NbS2, and a mixed phase sample confirm earlier reports that 2H-NbS2 is a bulk superconductor and that 3R-NbS2 is not a superconductor above T = 1.75 K. Our results clearly show that specific heat measurements, as true bulk measurements, are crucial for the identification of superconducting materials in this and related systems. Our results indicate that for the investigation of van der Waals materials great care has to be taken on choosing the synthesis conditions for obtaining phase pure samples.

Chemical vapor deposition and temperature-dependent Raman characterization of two-dimensional vanadium ditelluride

Recently, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) metallic vanadium dichalcogenides have attracted widespread attention because of the charge density wave (CDW) phase transition and possible ferromagnetism. Herein, we report the synthesis and temperature-dependent Raman characterization of the 2D vanadium ditelluride (VTe₂). The synthesis is done by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) using vanadium chloride (VCl₃) precursor on fluorphlogopite mica, sapphire, and h-BN substrates. A large area of the thin film with thickness ∼10 nm is grown on the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrate. Temperature-dependent Raman characterization of VTe₂ is conducted from room temperature to 513 K. Remarkable changes of Raman modes at around 413 K are observed, indicating the structural phase transition.

Two-dimensional vanadium ditelluride has been synthesized on mica, sapphire, and h-BN substrates by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition.

Measuring the Electron–Phonon Interaction in Two-Dimensional Superconductors with He-Atom Scattering

Helium-atom scattering (HAS) spectroscopy from conducting surfaces has been shown to provide direct information on the electron–phonon interaction, more specifically the mass-enhancement factor λ from the temperature dependence of the Debye–Waller exponent, and the mode-selected electron–phonon coupling constants λQν from the inelastic HAS intensities from individual surface phonons. The recent applications of the method to superconducting ultra-thin films, quasi-1D high-index surfaces, and layered transition-metal and topological pnictogen chalcogenides are briefly reviewed.

Direct Visualization of Trimerized States in 1T^{'}-TaTe_{2}

Transition-metal dichalcogenides containing tellurium anions show remarkable charge-lattice modulated structures and prominent interlayer character. Using cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), we map the atomic-scale structures of the high temperature (HT) and low temperature (LT) modulated phases in 1T^{'}-TaTe_{2}. At HT, we directly show in-plane metal distortions which form trimerized clusters and staggered, three-layer stacking. In the LT phase at 93 K, we visualize an additional trimerization of Ta sites and subtle distortions of Te sites by extracting structural information from contrast modulations in plan-view STEM data. Coupled with density functional theory calculations and image simulations, this approach opens the door for atomic-scale visualizations of low temperature phase transitions and complex displacements in a variety of layered systems.

Signatures of nontrivial Rashba metal states in a transition metal dichalcogenides Josephson junction

Nontrivial Rashba metal states in conventional semiconductor materials generated by both Rashba spin-orbit coupling and ferromagnetic exchange coupling coexisting were recently predicted and exploited. Single layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) featuring those states and their potential applications have been less focused. We find that, in the materials with Rashba spin-orbit coupling only, nontrivial Rashba metallic states can be manipulated by an external gate voltage. Based on extensive numerical simulations, the relationships between the supercurrent and nontrivial Rashba metallic states in the TMDC Josephson junction have been investigated. It is shown that, in the absence of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling, the critical supercurrent exhibits a stark difference between normal Rashba metal state and anomalous Rashba metal state in the finite junction as compared to the case of the short junction. While in the case of the finite Rashba spin-orbit coupling, the critical supercurrent demonstrates a reentrant behavior when Fermi level sweeps from anomalous Rashba metal state to Rashba ring metal state. Intriguingly, not only at the conversion of the nontrivial Rashba metallic states but also in the Rashba ring metal state the reentrant behavior exhibits again, which could be well explained by the mixing of spin-triplet Cooper pairs with spin-singlet Cooper pairs in Ising superconductor. Such a reentrant effect offers a new way to detect Ising superconductivity based on the TMDC systems. Meanwhile our study also clarified that the nontrivial Rashba metallic state plays an important role in controlling the supercurrent in the TMDC Josephson junction, which is useful for designing future superconducting devices.

Polytypism in few-layer gallium selenide

Gallium selenide (GaSe) is one of the layered group-III metal monochalcogenides, which has an indirect bandgap in the monolayer and a direct bandgap in bulk unlike other conventional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as MoX₂ and WX₂ (X = S and Se). Four polytypes of bulk GaSe, designated as β-, ε-, γ-, and δ-GaSe, have been reported. Since different polytypes result in different optical and electrical properties even with the same thickness, identifying the polytype is essential in utilizing this material for various optoelectronic applications. We performed polarized Raman measurements on GaSe and found different ultra-low-frequency Raman spectra of inter-layer vibrational modes even with the same thickness due to different stacking sequences of the polytypes. By comparing the ultra-low-frequency Raman spectra with the theoretical calculations and high-resolution electron microscopy measurements, we established the correlation between the ultra-low-frequency Raman spectra and the stacking sequences of trilayer GaSe. We further found that the AB-type stacking is more stable than the AA'-type stacking in GaSe.

Superconductivity in Metal-Rich Chalcogenide Ta2Se

The metal–metal bond in metal-rich chalcogenide is known to exhibit various structures and interesting physical properties. Ta₂Se can be obtained by both arc-melting and solid-state pellet methods. Ta₂Se crystallizes a layered tetragonal structure with space group P4/nmm (No. 129; Pearson symbol tP6). Each unit cell consists of four layers of body-centered close-packing Ta atoms sandwiched between two square nets of Se atoms, forming the Se–Ta–Ta–Ta–Ta–Se networks. Herein, we present magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, and heat capacity measurements on Ta₂Se, which together indicate bulk superconductivity with T_c = 3.8(1) K. According to first-principles calculations, the d orbitals in Ta atoms dominate the Fermi level in Ta₂Se. The flat bands at the Γ point in the Brillouin zone yield the van Hove singularities in the density of states around the Fermi level, which is intensified by introducing a spin–orbit coupling effect, and thus could be critical for the superconductivity in Ta₂Se. The physical properties, especially superconductivity, are completely different from those of Ta-rich alloys or transition-metal dichalcogenide TaSe₂.

The first metal-rich chalcogenide superconductor Ta₂Se with extensive metal−metal interactions was reported with T_c ∼ 3.8 K. The electronic structures indicate the importance of d electrons of Ta atoms in the superconductivity and lead to a high probability of discovering more superconductors in metal-rich chalcogenides.

Superconducting 3R-Ta1+xSe2 with Giant In-Plane Upper Critical Fields

Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) enables the stabilization of a nonequilibrium material phase, providing a powerful approach to the exploration of emergent phenomena in condensed-matter research. Here we demonstrate that one of the metallic two-dimensional (2D) materials, TaSe₂, grown by MBE crystallizes into the pure 3R phase with the self-intercalated Ta atoms, 3R-Ta_1+xSe₂, which is thermodynamically metastable and does not exist in nature as a pure material phase. Interestingly, the thick-enough 3R-Ta_1+xSe₂ film exhibits a superconducting (SC) critical temperature (T_c) of 3.0 K, which is the highest among all of the polymorphs in TaSe₂. Thickness-dependence measurements reveal that T_c decreases with decreasing thickness, accompanied by the development of the charge-density wave phase. The 3R-Ta_1+xSe₂ films exhibit large in-plane upper critical fields (H_c2) in their SC states even in the thick-enough regime, most likely due to the suppression of the interlayer hopping associated with the unique 3R stacking. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the in-plane H_c2 evolves from linear to square-root behavior with decreasing thickness, indicating crossover behavior from anisotropic three-dimensional superconductivity to 2D superconductivity. Our results unveil intriguing SC properties of metastable 3R-Ta_1+xSe₂ distinct from those of thermodynamically stable 2H-TaSe₂, demonstrating the essential importance of the MBE-based approach to the exploration of novel quantum phenomena in 2D materials research.

Direct Synthesis of Large-Scale Multilayer TaSe2 on SiO2/Si Using Ion Beam Technology

The multilayer 1T-TaSe₂ is successfully synthesized by annealing a Se-implanted Ta thin film on the SiO₂/Si substrate. Material analyses confirm the 1T (octahedral) structure and the quasi-2D nature of the prepared TaSe₂. Temperature-dependent resistivity reveals that the multilayer 1T-TaSe₂ obtained by our method undergoes a commensurate charge-density wave (CCDW) transition at around 500 K. This synthesis process has been applied to synthesize MoSe₂ and HfSe₂ and expanded for synthesis of one more transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) material. In addition, the main issue of the process, that is, the excess metal capping on the TMD layers, is solved by the reduction of thickness of the as-deposited metal thin film in this work.

Chemical Vapor Transport Reactions for Synthesizing Layered Materials and Their 2D Counterparts

2D materials, namely thin layers of layered materials, are attracting much attention because of their unique electronic, optical, thermal, and catalytic properties for wide applications. To advance both the fundamental studies and further practical applications, the scalable and controlled synthesis of large-sized 2D materials is desired, while there still lacks ideal approaches. Alternatively, the chemical vapor transport reaction is an old but powerful technique, and is recently adopted for synthesizing 2D materials, producing bulk crystals of layered materials or corresponding 2D films. Herein, recent advancements in synthesizing both bulk layered and 2D materials by chemical vapor transport reactions are summarized. Beginning with a brief introduction of the fundamentals of chemical vapor transport reactions, chemical vapor transport-based syntheses of bulk layered and 2D materials, mainly exampled by transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus, are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to important factors that can influence the reactions and the growth mechanisms of black phosphorus. Finally, perspectives about the chemical vapor transport-based synthesis of 2D materials are discussed, intending to redraw attentions on chemical vapor transport reactions.

Electronic-reconstruction-enhanced hydrogen evolution catalysis in oxide polymorphs

Transition metal oxides exhibit strong structure-property correlations, which has been extensively investigated and utilized for achieving efficient oxygen electrocatalysts. However, high-performance oxide-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution are quite limited, and the mechanism still remains elusive. Here we demonstrate the strong correlations between the electronic structure and hydrogen electrocatalytic activity within a single oxide system Ti2O3. Taking advantage of the epitaxial stabilization, the polymorphism of Ti2O3 is extended by stabilizing bulk-absent polymorphs in the film-form. Electronic reconstructions are realized in the bulk-absent Ti2O3 polymorphs, which are further correlated to their electrocatalytic activity. We identify that smaller charge-transfer energy leads to a substantial enhancement in the electrocatalytic efficiency with stronger hybridization of Ti 3d and O 2p orbitals. Our study highlights the importance of the electronic structures on the hydrogen evolution activity of oxide electrocatalysts, and also provides a strategy to achieve efficient oxide-based hydrogen electrocatalysts by epitaxial stabilization of bulk-absent polymorphs.

In situ electrodeposition of polypyrrole onto TaSe2 nanobelts quasi-arrays for high-capacitance supercapacitor

Transition metal dichalcogenides have recently revealed interesting physical properties which lead to promising applications for functional devices. TaSe2, as a member of transition metal dichalcogenides, attracts a great deal of attention as a layered electric conductor with low dimension and metallic nature. Herein, we prepare a three-dimensional conductive quasi-array based on 2H-TaSe2 nanobelts, which are synthesized directly on a tantalum foil by one step surface-assisted chemical vapor transport method. The conductive quasi-arrays are used as substrate for in situ electrodeposition of polypyrrole to form cylinder-like composite nanostructures. It is shown that the TaSe2 nanobelts can improve conductivity and stability of polypyrrole by acting as conductive and robust skeleton. A symmetric supercapacitor constructed from the composites demonstrates high areal capacitance of 835 mF cm-2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1, wide potential window of 1.2 V, and excellent cycling stability with 98.7% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles. Meanwhile, the assembly process of the supercapacitor is quite simple because it does not need any additional current collector, binder or conductive additive. The nanocomposites have been verified to be a very effective way to improve electrochemical performance of polypyrrole, and are promising to be applied as supercapacitors.

Hidden CDW states and insulator-to-metal transition after a pulsed femtosecond laser excitation in layered chalcogenide 1T-TaS2- x Se x

The hidden (H) quantum state in 1T-TaS₂ has sparked considerable interest in the field of correlated electron systems. Here, we investigate ultrafast switches to stable H charge density wave (H-CDW) states observed in 1T-TaS_2-x Se _x , with x = 0 and 0.5 crystals, upon excitation with a single femtosecond laser pulse. In situ cooling transmission electron microscopy observations, initiated by a single femtosecond laser pumping with a low fluence, reveal a clear transition from a commensurate CDW phase (q_C) to a new CDW order with q_H = (1 - δ)q_C for the H-CDW state (δ = 1/9) accompanied by an evident phase separation. H-CDW domain relaxation then occurs and yields a stable metallic phase under a high-fluence excitation. Furthermore, electrical resistivity measurements show that the notable drop in x = 0 and 0.5 samples associated with the appearance of H-CDW states depend on laser fluence and temperature. These results potentially provide a new perspective on the photodoping mechanism for the emergence of H-CDW states in the 1T-TaS_2-x Se _x family.

van der Waals Metallic Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides are layered materials which are composed of transition metals and chalcogens of the group VIA in a 1:2 ratio. These layered materials have been extensively investigated over synthesis and optical and electrical properties for several decades. It can be insulators, semiconductors, or metals revealing all types of condensed matter properties from a magnetic lattice distorted to superconducting characteristics. Some of these also feature the topological manner. Instead of covering the semiconducting properties of transition metal dichalcogenides, which have been extensively revisited and reviewed elsewhere, here we present the structures of metallic transition metal dichalcogenides and their synthetic approaches for not only high-quality wafer-scale samples using conventional methods (e.g., chemical vapor transport, chemical vapor deposition) but also local small areas by a modification of the materials using Li intercalation, electron beam irradiation, light illumination, pressures, and strains. Some representative band structures of metallic transition metal dichalcogenides and their strong layer-dependence are reviewed and updated, both in theoretical calculations and experiments. In addition, we discuss the physical properties of metallic transition metal dichalcogenides such as periodic lattice distortion, magnetoresistance, superconductivity, topological insulator, and Weyl semimetal. Approaches to overcome current challenges related to these materials are also proposed.

Superconductivity in tantalum self-intercalated 4Ha-Ta1.03Se2

TaSe₂ has several different polytypes and abundant physical properties, such as superconductivity and charge density waves (CDW), which have been investigated in the past few decades. However, there has been no report on the physical properties of the 4Ha polytype up to now. Here we report the crystal growth and discovery of superconductivity in the tantalum self-intercalated 4Ha-Ta_1.03Se₂ single crystal with a superconducting transition onset temperature of [Formula: see text] K, which is the first observation of superconductivity in the 4Ha polytype of TaSe₂. A slightly suppressed CDW transition is found around 106 K. A large [Formula: see text] value of about 4.48 is found when a magnetic field is applied in the ab-plane, which probably results from the enhanced spin-orbit coupling. Special stacking faults are observed, which further enhance the anisotropy. Although the density of states at the Fermi level is lower than that of other polytypes, T _c remains the same, indicating that the stack mode of the 4Ha polytype may be beneficial to superconductivity in TaSe₂.

Chemical vapor deposition of trigonal prismatic NbS2 monolayers and 3R-polytype few-layers

Group VB transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have an intriguing structure-dependent charge density wave and superconductivity. Here, we report the direct chemical vapor deposition of large-size NbS₂ monolayers and few-layers with trigonal prismatic coordination and 3R polytype layer-layer stacking on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The structure has been confirmed by micro-Raman spectroscopy and atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM).

Extended Polymorphism of Two-Dimensional Material

When controlling electronic properties of bulk materials, we usually assume that the basic crystal structure is fixed. However, in two-dimensional (2D) materials, atomic structure or polymorph is attracting growing interest as a controlling parameter to functionalize their properties. Various polymorphs can exist in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) from which 2D materials are generated, and polymorphism has drastic impacts on the electronic states. Here we report the discovery of an unprecedented polymorph of a TMDC 2D material. By mechanical exfoliation, we made thin flakes from a single crystal of 2Ha-type tantalum disulfide (TaS₂), a metallic TMDC with a charge-density-wave (CDW) phase. Microbeam X-ray diffraction measurements and electrical transport measurements indicate that thin flakes possess a polymorph different from any one known in TaS₂ bulk crystals. Moreover, the flakes with the unique polymorph displayed the dramatically enhanced CDW ordering temperature. The present results suggest the potential existence of diverse structural and electronic phases accessible only in 2D materials.

Dynamic diffraction effects and coherent breathing oscillations in ultrafast electron diffraction in layered 1T-TaSeTe

Anisotropic lattice movements due to the difference between intralayer and interlayer bonding are observed in the layered transition-metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaSeTe following femtosecond laser pulse excitation. Our ultrafast electron diffraction investigations using 4D-transmission electron microscopy (4D-TEM) clearly reveal that the intensity of Bragg reflection spots often changes remarkably due to the dynamic diffraction effects and anisotropic lattice movement. Importantly, the temporal diffracted intensity from a specific crystallographic plane depends on the deviation parameter s, which is commonly used in the theoretical study of diffraction intensity. Herein, we report on lattice thermalization and structural oscillations in layered 1T-TaSeTe, analyzed by dynamic diffraction theory. Ultrafast alterations of satellite spots arising from the charge density wave in the present system are also briefly discussed.

Interplay of charge density wave and multiband superconductivity in 2H-PdxTaSe2

2H-TaSe2 has been one of unique transition metal dichalcogenides exhibiting several phase transitions due to a delicate balance among competing electronic ground states. An unusual metallic state at high-T is sequentially followed by an incommensurate charge density wave (ICDW) state at ≈122 K and a commensurate charge density wave (CCDW) state at ≈90 K, and superconductivity at TC ~ 0.14 K. Upon systematic intercalation of Pd ions into TaSe2, we find that CCDW order is destabilized more rapidly than ICDW to indicate a hidden quantum phase transition point at x ~ 0.09-0.10. Moreover, TC shows a dramatic enhancement up to 3.3 K at x = 0.08, ~24 times of TC in 2H-TaSe2, in proportional to the density of states N(EF). Investigations of upper critical fields Hc2 in single crystals reveal evidences of multiband superconductivity as temperature-dependent anisotropy factor γH = , quasi-linear increase of , and an upward, positive-curvature in near TC. Furthermore, analysis of temperature-dependent electronic specific heat corroborates the presence of multiple superconducting gaps. Based on above findings and electronic phase diagram vs x, we propose that the increase of N(EF) and effective electron-phonon coupling in the vicinity of CDW quantum phase transition should be a key to the large enhancement of TC in PdxTaSe2.

The New Superconductor tP-SrPd2Bi2: Structural Polymorphism and Superconductivity in Intermetallics

We consider a system where structural polymorphism suggests the possible existence of superconductivity through the implied structural instability. SrPd2Bi2 has two polymorphs, which can be controlled by the synthesis temperature: a tetragonal form (CaBe2Ge2-type) and a monoclinic form (BaAu2Sb2-type). Although the crystallographic difference between the two forms may, at first, seem trivial, we show that tetragonal SrPd2Bi2 is superconducting at 2.0 K, whereas monoclinic SrPd2Bi2 is not. We rationalize this finding and place it in context with other 1-2-2 phases.

Raman Signatures of Polytypism in Molybdenum Disulfide

Since the stacking order sensitively affects various physical properties of layered materials, accurate determination of the stacking order is important for studying the basic properties of these materials as well as for device applications. Because 2H-molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is most common in nature, most studies so far have focused on 2H-MoS2. However, we found that the 2H, 3R, and mixed stacking sequences exist in few-layer MoS2 exfoliated from natural molybdenite crystals. The crystal structures are confirmed by HR-TEM measurements. The Raman signatures of different polytypes are investigated by using three different excitation energies that are nonresonant and resonant with A and C excitons, respectively. The low-frequency breathing and shear modes show distinct differences for each polytype, whereas the high-frequency intralayer modes show little difference. For resonant excitations at 1.96 and 2.81 eV, distinct features are observed that enable determination of the stacking order.

Superconductivity in 3R-Ta(1-x)M(x)Se2 (M = W, Mo)

The 3-layer rhombohedral (3R) polytype of TaSe2-x Te x is known to display a superconducting transition temperature that is between 6 and 17 times higher than that of the two-layer hexagonal (2H) polytype. The remarkable difference in T c, although clearly associated with a difference in polytype, could have been due to an electronic effect specific to the Te-Se substitution. Here we report that small amounts of Mo or W doping lead to a 2H to 3R polytype transition in Ta1-x Mo x Se2 and Ta1-x W x Se2. The 3R polytype materials are again found to have substantially higher T c (~2 K for Ta0.9W0.1Se2 and Ta0.9Mo0.1Se2) than the 2H material (0.15 K), eliminating the possibility that any special characteristics of the Te/Se substitution are responsible for the dramatic difference in T c. We infer that a three-layer stacking sequence is strongly preferred for superconductivity over a two-layer stacking sequence in the TaSe2 system.

Zone-Folded Phonons and the Commensurate-Incommensurate Charge-Density-Wave Transition in 1T-TaSe2 Thin Films

Bulk 1T-TaSe2 exhibits unusually high charge density wave (CDW) transition temperatures of 600 and 473 K below which the material exists in the incommensurate (I-CDW) and the commensurate (C-CDW) charge-density-wave phases, respectively. The (13)(1/2) × (13)(1/2) C-CDW reconstruction of the lattice coincides with new Raman peaks resulting from zone-folding of phonon modes from middle regions of the original Brillouin zone back to Γ. The C-CDW transition temperatures as a function of film thickness are determined from the evolution of these new Raman peaks, and they are found to decrease from 473 to 413 K as the film thicknesses decrease from 150 to 35 nm. A comparison of the Raman data with ab initio calculations of both the normal and C-CDW phases gives a consistent picture of the zone-folding of the phonon modes following lattice reconstruction. The Raman peak at ∼154 cm(-1) originates from the zone-folded phonons in the C-CDW phase. In the I-CDW phase, the loss of translational symmetry coincides with a strong suppression and broadening of the Raman peaks. The observed change in the C-CDW transition temperature is consistent with total energy calculations of bulk and monolayer 1T-TaSe2.