Maximally localized Wannier functions in LaMnO3 within PBE + U, hybrid functionals and partially self-consistent GW: an efficient route to construct ab initio tight-binding parameters for eg perovskites

Enormous Berry-Curvature-Based Anomalous Hall Effect in Topological Insulator (Bi,Sb)2Te3 on Ferrimagnetic Europium Iron Garnet beyond 400 K

To realize the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) at elevated temperatures, the approach of magnetic proximity effect (MPE) was adopted to break the time-reversal symmetry in the topological insulator (Bi_0.3Sb_0.7)₂Te₃ (BST) based heterostructures with a ferrimagnetic insulator europium iron garnet (EuIG) of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Here we demonstrate large anomalous Hall resistance (R_AHE) exceeding 8 Ω (ρ_AHE of 3.2 μΩ·cm) at 300 K and sustaining to 400 K in 35 BST/EuIG samples, surpassing the past record of 0.28 Ω (ρ_AHE of 0.14 μΩ·cm) at 300 K. The large R_AHE is attributed to an atomically abrupt, Fe-rich interface between BST and EuIG. Importantly, the gate dependence of the AHE loops shows no sign change with varying chemical potential. This observation is supported by our first-principles calculations via applying a gradient Zeeman field plus a contact potential on BST. Our calculations further demonstrate that the AHE in this heterostructure is attributed to the intrinsic Berry curvature. Furthermore, for gate-biased 4 nm BST on EuIG, a pronounced topological Hall effect-like (THE-like) feature coexisting with AHE is observed at the negative top-gate voltage up to 15 K. Interface tuning with theoretical calculations has realized topologically distinct phenomena in tailored magnetic TI-based heterostructures.

Threefold Fermions, Weyl Points, and Superconductivity in the Mirror Symmetry Lacking Semiconductor TlCd2Te4

The topological phase transition and exotic quasiparticles in materials have attracted much attention because of their potential in spintronics and mimic of elementary particles. Especially, great research interest has been paid to search for the Weyl fermions in solid-state physics. By using first-principles calculations, we predict that the multinary semiconductor alloy TlCd2Te4 exhibits threefold fermions and nodal-line fermions, which are protected by the S4 improper rotational symmetry. Moreover, owing to the lack of inversion and mirror symmetries, the threefold fermions split into Weyl fermions when the spin-orbit coupling is included. The chiral charge of Weyl points and the Z2 time-reversal topological invariant are investigated. The topological surface states, spin texture, and electron-phonon coupling analysis are presented. Our study demonstrates TlCd2Te4 as a good platform to understand topological phase transitions as well as possible coexistance of topological Weyl semimetal and superconductivity in one single material.

Epitaxial III-V/Si Vertical Heterostructures with Hybrid 2D-Semimetal/Semiconductor Ambipolar and Photoactive Properties

Hybrid materials taking advantage of the different physical properties of materials are highly attractive for numerous applications in today's science and technology. Here, it is demonstrated that epitaxial bi-domain III-V/Si are hybrid structures, composed of bulk photo-active semiconductors with 2D topological semi-metallic vertical inclusions, endowed with ambipolar properties. By combining structural, transport, and photoelectrochemical characterizations with first-principle calculations, it is shown that the bi-domain III-V/Si materials are able within the same layer to absorb light efficiently, separate laterally the photo-generated carriers, transfer them to semimetal singularities, and ease extraction of both electrons and holes vertically, leading to efficient carrier collection. Besides, the original topological properties of the 2D semi-metallic inclusions are also discussed. This comb-like heterostructure not only merges the superior optical properties of semiconductors with good transport properties of metallic materials, but also combines the high efficiency and tunability afforded by III-V inorganic bulk materials with the flexible management of nano-scale charge carriers usually offered by blends of organic materials. Physical properties of these novel hybrid heterostructures can be of great interest for energy harvesting, photonic, electronic or computing devices.

Surface science using coupled cluster theory via local Wannier functions and in-RPA-embedding: The case of water on graphitic carbon nitride

A first-principles study of the adsorption of a single water molecule on a layer of graphitic carbon nitride is reported employing an embedding approach for many-electron correlation methods. To this end, a plane-wave based implementation to obtain intrinsic atomic orbitals and Wannier functions for arbitrary localization potentials is presented. In our embedding scheme, the localized occupied orbitals allow for a separate treatment of short-range and long-range correlation contributions to the adsorption energy by a fragmentation of the simulation cell. In combination with unoccupied natural orbitals, the coupled cluster ansatz with single, double, and perturbative triple particle-hole excitation operators is used to capture the correlation in local fragments centered around the adsorption process. For the long-range correlation, a seamless embedding into the random phase approximation yields rapidly convergent adsorption energies with respect to the local fragment size. Convergence of computed binding energies with respect to the virtual orbital basis set is achieved employing a number of recently developed techniques. Moreover, we discuss fragment size convergence for a range of approximate many-electron perturbation theories. The obtained benchmark results are compared to a number of density functional calculations.

Topological Phase and Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in Ferromagnetic Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides Monolayer 1T-VSe2

Magnetic two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials have attracted tremendous attention because of their high potential in spintronics. In particular, the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect in magnetic 2D layers shows a very promising prospect for hosting Majorana zero modes at the topologically protected edge states in proximity to superconductors. However, the QAH effect has not yet been experimentally realized in monolayer systems to date. In this work, we study the electronic structures and topological properties of the 2D ferromagnetic transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMD) monolayer 1T−VSe2 by first-principles calculations with the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof (HSE) functional. We find that the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) opens a continuous band gap at the magnetic Weyl-like crossing point hosting the quantum anomalous Hall effect with Chern number C=2. Moreover, we demonstrate the topologically protected edge states and intrinsic (spin) Hall conductivity in this magnetic 2D TMD system. Our results indicate that 1T−VSe2 monolayer serves as a stoichiometric quantum anomalous Hall material.

Hybrid Atomic Orbital Basis from First Principles: Bottom-Up Mapping of Self-Energy Correction to Large Covalent Systems

Construction of hybrid atomic orbitals is proposed as the approximate common eigenstates of finite first moment matrices. Their hybridization and orientation can be a priori tuned as per their anticipated neighborhood. Their Wannier function counterparts constructed from the Kohn-Sham (KS) single particle states constitute an orthonormal multiorbital tight binding (TB) basis resembling hybrid atomic orbitals locked to their immediate atomic neighborhood, while spanning the subspace of KS states. The proposed basis thus renders predominantly single TB parameters from first principles for each nearest neighbor bond involving no more than two orbitals irrespective of their orientation and also facilitates an easy route for the transfer of such TB parameters across isostructural systems exclusively through mapping of neighborhoods and projection of orbital charge centers. With hybridized 2s, 2p and 3s, 3p valence electrons, the spatial extent of the self-energy correction (SEC) to TB parameters in the proposed basis is found to be localized mostly within the third nearest neighborhood, thus allowing effective transfer of self-energy-corrected TB parameters from smaller reference systems to much larger target systems, with nominal additional computational cost beyond that required for explicit computation of SEC in the reference systems. The proposed approach promises inexpensive estimation of the quasi-particle structures of large covalent systems with workable accuracy.

Layer-Dependent Electronic Structure Changes in Transition Metal Dichalcogenides: The Microscopic Origin

We have examined the electronic structure evolution in transition metal dichalcogenides MX₂ where M = Mo, W and X = S, Se, and Te. These are generally referred to as van der Waals materials on the one hand, yet one has band gap changes as large as 0.6 eV with thickness in some instances. This does not seem to be consistent with a description where the dominant interactions are van der Waals interactions. Mapping onto a tight binding model allows us to quantify the electronic structure changes, which are found to be dictated solely by interlayer hopping interactions. Different environments that an atom encounters could change the Madelung potential and therefore the onsite energies. This could happen while going from the monolayer to the bilayer as well as in cases where the stackings are different from what is found in 2H structures. These effects are quantitatively found to be negligible, enabling us to quantify the thickness-dependent electronic structure changes as arising from interlayer interactions alone.

Band Topology of Bismuth Quantum Films

Bismuth has been the key element in the discovery and development of topological insulator materials. Previous theoretical studies indicated that Bi is topologically trivial and it can transform into the topological phase by alloying with Sb. However, recent high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements strongly suggested a topological band structure in pure Bi, conflicting with the theoretical results. To address this issue, we studied the band structure of Bi and Sb films by ARPES and first-principles calculations. The quantum confinement effectively enlarges the energy gap in the band structure of Bi films and enables a direct visualization of the Z 2 topological invariant of Bi. We find that Bi quantum films in topologically trivial and nontrivial phases respond differently to surface perturbations. This way, we establish experimental criteria for detecting the band topology of Bi by spectroscopic methods.

Observation of Topological Edge States at the Step Edges on the Surface of Type-II Weyl Semimetal TaIrTe4

Topological materials harbor topologically protected boundary states. Recently, TaIrTe₄, a ternary transition-metal dichalcogenide, was identified as a type-II Weyl semimetal with the minimal nonzero number of Weyl points allowed for a time-reversal invariant Weyl semimetal. Monolayer TaIrTe₄ was proposed to host topological edge states, which, however, lacks of experimental evidence. Here, we report on the topological edge states localized at the monolayer step edges of the type-II Weyl semimetal TaIrTe₄ using scanning tunneling microscopy. One-dimensional electronic states that show substantial robustness against the edge irregularity are observed at the step edges. Theoretical calculations substantiate the topologically nontrivial nature of the edge states and their robustness against the edge termination and layer stacking. The observation of topological edge states at the step edges of TaIrTe₄ surfaces suggests that monolayer TaIrTe₄ is a two-dimensional topological insulator, providing TaIrTe₄ as a promising material for topological physics and devices.

Computational Approach to Molecular Catalysis by 3d Transition Metals: Challenges and Opportunities

Computational chemistry provides a versatile toolbox for studying mechanistic details of catalytic reactions and holds promise to deliver practical strategies to enable the rational in silico catalyst design. The versatile reactivity and nontrivial electronic structure effects, common for systems based on 3d transition metals, introduce additional complexity that may represent a particular challenge to the standard computational strategies. In this review, we discuss the challenges and capabilities of modern electronic structure methods for studying the reaction mechanisms promoted by 3d transition metal molecular catalysts. Particular focus will be placed on the ways of addressing the multiconfigurational problem in electronic structure calculations and the role of expert bias in the practical utilization of the available methods. The development of density functionals designed to address transition metals is also discussed. Special emphasis is placed on the methods that account for solvation effects and the multicomponent nature of practical catalytic systems. This is followed by an overview of recent computational studies addressing the mechanistic complexity of catalytic processes by molecular catalysts based on 3d metals. Cases that involve noninnocent ligands, multicomponent reaction systems, metal-ligand and metal-metal cooperativity, as well as modeling complex catalytic systems such as metal-organic frameworks are presented. Conventionally, computational studies on catalytic mechanisms are heavily dependent on the chemical intuition and expert input of the researcher. Recent developments in advanced automated methods for reaction path analysis hold promise for eliminating such human-bias from computational catalysis studies. A brief overview of these approaches is presented in the final section of the review. The paper is closed with general concluding remarks.

Realization of a Type-II Nodal-Line Semimetal in Mg3Bi2

Nodal-line semimetals (NLSs) represent a new type of topological semimetallic phase beyond Weyl and Dirac semimetals in the sense that they host closed loops or open curves of band degeneracies in the Brillouin zone. Parallel to the classification of type-I and type-II Weyl semimetals, there are two types of NLSs. The type-I NLS phase has been proposed and realized in many compounds, whereas the exotic type-II NLS phase that strongly violates Lorentz symmetry has remained elusive. First-principles calculations show that Mg3Bi2 is a material candidate for the type-II NLS. The band crossing is close to the Fermi level and exhibits the type-II nature of the nodal line in this material. Spin-orbit coupling generates only a small energy gap (≈35 meV) at the nodal points and does not negate the band dispersion of Mg3Bi2 that yields the type-II nodal line. Based on this prediction, Mg3Bi2 single crystals are synthesized and the presence of the type-II nodal lines in the material is confirmed. The angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements agree well with the first-principles results below the Fermi level and thus strongly suggest Mg3Bi2 as an ideal material platform for studying the as-yet unstudied properties of type-II nodal-line semimetals.

Nontrivial superconductivity in topological MoTe2-x S x crystals

Topological Weyl semimetals (TWSs) with pairs of Weyl points and topologically protected Fermi arc states have broadened the classification of topological phases and provide superior platform for study of topological superconductivity. Here we report the nontrivial superconductivity and topological features of sulfur-doped Td -phase MoTe2 with enhanced Tc compared with type-II TWS MoTe2 It is found that Td -phase S-doped MoTe2 (MoTe2-x S x , x ∼ 0.2) is a two-band s-wave bulk superconductor (∼0.13 meV and 0.26 meV), where the superconducting behavior can be explained by the s+- pairing model. Further, measurements of the quasi-particle interference (QPI) patterns and a comparison with band-structure calculations reveal the existence of Fermi arcs in MoTe2-x S x More interestingly, a relatively large superconducting gap (∼1.7 meV) is detected by scanning tunneling spectroscopy on the sample surface, showing a hint of topological nontrivial superconductivity based on the pairing of Fermi arc surface states. Our work demonstrates that the Td -phase MoTe2-x S x is not only a promising topological superconductor candidate but also a unique material for study of s+- superconductivity.

Unraveling the Mechanism of Photoinduced Charge-Transfer Process in Bilayer Heterojunction

Charge transfer is a fundamental process that determines the performance of solar cell devices. Although great efforts have been made, the detailed mechanism of charge-transfer process across the two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure remains elusive. Here, on the basis of the ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation, we model the photoinduced charge-transfer dynamics at the InSe/InTe vdW heterostructures. Our results show that carriers can follow either the R-scheme or Z-scheme transfer path, depending on the coupling between the interlayer states at the band-edge positions. In addition, the charge-transfer dynamics can be effectively controlled by the external parameters, such as strains and interlayer stacking configurations. The predicated electron-hole recombination lifetime in the R-scheme transfer path is up to 1.4 ns, whereas it is shortened to 1.2 ps in the Z-scheme transfer path. The proposed R-scheme and Z-scheme are further verified by the quantum transport simulations on the basis of the density functional theory (DFT) method combined with nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF-DFT). The analysis reveals that the system dominated by the Z-scheme shows better performance, which can be attributed to the built-in electric field that facilitates the charge transfer. Our work may pave the way for the designing of next-generation devices for light detecting and harvesting.

Tunable metal-insulator transition, Rashba effect and Weyl Fermions in a relativistic charge-ordered ferroelectric oxide

Controllable metal-insulator transitions (MIT), Rashba-Dresselhaus (RD) spin splitting, and Weyl semimetals are promising schemes for realizing processing devices. Complex oxides are a desirable materials platform for such devices, as they host delicate and tunable charge, spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedoms. Here, using first-principles calculations and symmetry analysis, we identify an electric-field tunable MIT, RD effect, and Weyl semimetal in a known, charge-ordered, and polar relativistic oxide Ag2BiO3 at room temperature. Remarkably, a centrosymmetric BiO6 octahedral-breathing distortion induces a sizable spontaneous ferroelectric polarization through Bi3+/Bi5+ charge disproportionation, which stabilizes simultaneously the insulating phase. The continuous attenuation of the Bi3+/Bi5+ disproportionation obtained by applying an external electric field reduces the band gap and RD spin splitting and drives the phase transition from a ferroelectric RD insulator to a paraelectric Dirac semimetal, through a topological Weyl semimetal intermediate state. These findings suggest that Ag2BiO3 is a promising material for spin-orbitonic applications.

Signatures of a time-reversal symmetric Weyl semimetal with only four Weyl points

Through intense research on Weyl semimetals during the past few years, we have come to appreciate that typical Weyl semimetals host many Weyl points. Nonetheless, the minimum nonzero number of Weyl points allowed in a time-reversal invariant Weyl semimetal is four. Realizing such a system is of fundamental interest and may simplify transport experiments. Recently, it was predicted that TaIrTe₄ realizes a minimal Weyl semimetal. However, the Weyl points and Fermi arcs live entirely above the Fermi level, making them inaccessible to conventional angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Here, we use pump-probe ARPES to directly access the band structure above the Fermi level in TaIrTe₄. We observe signatures of Weyl points and topological Fermi arcs. Combined with ab initio calculation, our results show that TaIrTe₄ is a Weyl semimetal with the minimum number of four Weyl points. Our work provides a simpler platform for accessing exotic transport phenomena arising in Weyl semimetals.Weyl semimetals are interesting because they are characterized by topological invariants, but specific examples discovered to date tend to have complicated band structures with many Weyl points. Here, the authors show that TaIrTe₄ has only four Weyl points, the minimal number required by time-reversal symmetry.

Observation of topological states residing at step edges of WTe2

Topological states emerge at the boundary of solids as a consequence of the nontrivial topology of the bulk. Recently, theory predicts a topological edge state on single layer transition metal dichalcogenides with 1T' structure. However, its existence still lacks experimental proof. Here, we report the direct observations of the topological states at the step edge of WTe2 by spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy. A one-dimensional electronic state residing at the step edge of WTe2 is observed, which exhibits remarkable robustness against edge imperfections. First principles calculations rigorously verify the edge state has a topological origin, and its topological nature is unaffected by the presence of the substrate. Our study supports the existence of topological edge states in 1T'-WTe2, which may envision in-depth study of its topological physics and device applications.Two-dimensional topological insulators support edge conduction electrons but its realization in real materials is rare. Here, Peng et al. report the direct observation of topological states at the step edge of WTe2.

Quasiparticle Interference on Cubic Perovskite Oxide Surfaces

We report the observation of coherent surface states on cubic perovskite oxide SrVO_{3}(001) thin films through spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy. A direct link between the observed quasiparticle interference patterns and the formation of a d_{xy}-derived surface state is supported by first-principles calculations. We show that the apical oxygens on the topmost VO_{2} plane play a critical role in controlling the coherent surface state via modulating orbital state.

Type-II Symmetry-Protected Topological Dirac Semimetals

The recent proposal of the type-II Weyl semimetal state has attracted significant interest. In this Letter, we propose the concept of the three-dimensional type-II Dirac fermion and theoretically identify this new symmetry-protected topological state in the large family of transition-metal icosagenides, MA_{3} (M=V, Nb, Ta; A=Al, Ga, In). We show that the VAl_{3} family features a pair of strongly Lorentz-violating type-II Dirac nodes and that each Dirac node can be split into four type-II Weyl nodes with chiral charge ±1 via symmetry breaking. Furthermore, we predict that the Landau level spectrum arising from the type-II Dirac fermions in VAl_{3} is distinct from that of known Dirac or Weyl semimetals. We also demonstrate a topological phase transition from a type-II Dirac semimetal to a quadratic Weyl semimetal or a topological crystalline insulator via crystalline distortions.

Three-Dimensional Electronic Structure of the Type-II Weyl Semimetal WTe_{2}

By combining bulk sensitive soft-x-ray angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculations we explored the bulk electron states of WTe_{2}, a candidate type-II Weyl semimetal featuring a large nonsaturating magnetoresistance. Despite the layered geometry suggesting a two-dimensional electronic structure, we directly observe a three-dimensional electronic dispersion. We report a band dispersion in the reciprocal direction perpendicular to the layers, implying that electrons can also travel coherently when crossing from one layer to the other. The measured Fermi surface is characterized by two well-separated electron and hole pockets at either side of the Γ point, differently from previous more surface sensitive angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments that additionally found a pronounced quasiparticle weight at the zone center. Moreover, we observe a significant sensitivity of the bulk electronic structure of WTe_{2} around the Fermi level to electronic correlations and renormalizations due to self-energy effects, previously neglected in first-principles descriptions.

Hallmarks of Hunds coupling in the Mott insulator Ca2RuO4

A paradigmatic case of multi-band Mott physics including spin-orbit and Hund's coupling is realized in Ca₂RuO₄. Progress in understanding the nature of this Mott insulating phase has been impeded by the lack of knowledge about the low-energy electronic structure. Here we provide—using angle-resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy—the band structure of the paramagnetic insulating phase of Ca₂RuO₄ and show how it features several distinct energy scales. Comparison to a simple analysis of atomic multiplets provides a quantitative estimate of the Hund's coupling J=0.4 eV. Furthermore, the experimental spectra are in good agreement with electronic structure calculations performed with Dynamical Mean-Field Theory. The crystal field stabilization of the d_xy orbital due to c-axis contraction is shown to be essential to explain the insulating phase. These results underscore the importance of multi-band physics, Coulomb interaction and Hund's coupling that together generate the Mott insulating state of Ca₂RuO₄.

Detailed knowledge of the low-energy electronic structure is required to understand the Mott insulating phase of Ca₂RuO₄. Here, Sutter et al. provide directly the experimental band structure of the paramagnetic insulating phase of Ca₂RuO₄ and unveil the electronic origin of its Mott phase.

Discovery of a new type of topological Weyl fermion semimetal state in MoxW1-xTe2

The recent discovery of a Weyl semimetal in TaAs offers the first Weyl fermion observed in nature and dramatically broadens the classification of topological phases. However, in TaAs it has proven challenging to study the rich transport phenomena arising from emergent Weyl fermions. The series Mo_xW_1−xTe₂ are inversion-breaking, layered, tunable semimetals already under study as a promising platform for new electronics and recently proposed to host Type II, or strongly Lorentz-violating, Weyl fermions. Here we report the discovery of a Weyl semimetal in Mo_xW_1−xTe₂ at x=25%. We use pump-probe angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (pump-probe ARPES) to directly observe a topological Fermi arc above the Fermi level, demonstrating a Weyl semimetal. The excellent agreement with calculation suggests that Mo_xW_1−xTe₂ is a Type II Weyl semimetal. We also find that certain Weyl points are at the Fermi level, making Mo_xW_1−xTe₂ a promising platform for transport and optics experiments on Weyl semimetals.

A Type II Weyl fermion semimetal has been predicted in Mo_xW_1−xTe₂, but it awaits experimental evidence. Here, Belopolski et al. observe a topological Fermi arc in Mo_xW_1−xTe₂, showing it originates from a Type II Weyl fermion and offering a new platform to study novel transport phenomena in Weyl semimetals.

The electronic, structural and magnetic properties of La(1-1/3)Sr(1/3)MnO3 film with oxygen vacancy: a first principles investigation

We have systematically investigated the influence of oxygen vacancy defects on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of La(1-x)Sr(x)MnO3 (x = 1/3) film by means of ab initio calculations using bare GGA as well as GGA+U formalism, in the latter of which, the on-site Coulombic repulsion parameter U for Mn 3d orbital has been determined by the linear response theory. It is revealed that the introduction of the vacancy defects causes prominent structural changes including the distortion of MnO6 octahedra and local structural deformation surrounding the oxygen vacancy. The GGA+U formalism yields a significantly larger structural change than the bare GGA method, surprisingly in contrast with the general notion that the inclusion of Hubbard U parameter exerts little influence on structural properties. The distortion of MnO6 octahedra leads to a corresponding variation in the hybridization between Mn 3d and O 2p, which gets strengthened if the Mn-O distance becomes smaller and vice versa. The magnetic moments of the Mn atoms located in three typical sites of the vacancy-containing supercell are all larger than those in the pristine system. We have characterized the O-vacancy defect as a hole-type defect that forms a negative charge center, attracting electrons.

Prediction of an arc-tunable Weyl Fermion metallic state in Mo(x)W(1-x)Te2

A Weyl semimetal is a new state of matter that hosts Weyl fermions as emergent quasiparticles. The Weyl fermions correspond to isolated points of bulk band degeneracy, Weyl nodes, which are connected only through the crystal's boundary by exotic Fermi arcs. The length of the Fermi arc gives a measure of the topological strength, because the only way to destroy the Weyl nodes is to annihilate them in pairs in the reciprocal space. To date, Weyl semimetals are only realized in the TaAs class. Here, we propose a tunable Weyl state in Mo(x)W(1-x)Te2 where Weyl nodes are formed by touching points between metallic pockets. We show that the Fermi arc length can be changed as a function of Mo concentration, thus tuning the topological strength. Our results provide an experimentally feasible route to realizing Weyl physics in the layered compound Mo(x)W(1-x)Te2, where non-saturating magneto-resistance and pressure-driven superconductivity have been observed.

New Family of Quantum Spin Hall Insulators in Two-dimensional Transition-Metal Halide with Large Nontrivial Band Gaps

Topological insulators (TIs) are promising for achieving dissipationless transport devices due to the robust gapless states inside the insulating bulk gap. However, currently realized two-dimensional (2D) TIs, quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulators, suffer from ultrahigh vacuum and extremely low temperature. Thus, seeking for desirable QSH insulators with high feasibility of experimental preparation and large nontrivial gap is of great importance for wide applications in spintronics. On the basis of the first-principles calculations, we predict a novel family of 2D QSH insulators in transition-metal halide MX (M = Zr, Hf; X = Cl, Br, and I) monolayers, especially, which is the first case based on transition-metal halide-based QSH insulators. MX family has the large nontrivial gaps of 0.12-0.4 eV, comparable with bismuth (111) bilayer (0.2 eV), stanene (0.3 eV), and larger than ZrTe5 (0.1 eV) monolayers and graphene-based sandwiched heterstructures (30-70 meV). Their corresponding 3D bulk materials are weak topological insulators from stacking QSH layers, and some of bulk compounds have already been synthesized in experiment. The mechanism for 2D QSH effect in this system originates from a novel d-d band inversion, significantly different from conventional band inversion between s-p, p-p, or d-p orbitals. The realization of pure layered MX monolayers may be prepared by exfoliation from their 3D bulk phases, thus holding great promise for nanoscale device applications and stimulating further efforts on transition metal-based QSH materials.

Topological nature and the multiple Dirac cones hidden in Bismuth high-Tc superconductors

Recent theoretical studies employing density-functional theory have predicted BaBiO₃ (when doped with electrons) and YBiO₃ to become a topological insulator (TI) with a large topological gap (~0.7 eV). This, together with the natural stability against surface oxidation, makes the Bismuth-Oxide family of special interest for possible applications in quantum information and spintronics. The central question, we study here, is whether the hole-doped Bismuth Oxides, i.e. Ba_1-xK_xBiO₃ and BaPb_1-xBi_xO₃, which are “high-Tc” bulk superconducting near 30 K, additionally display in the further vicinity of their Fermi energy E_F a topological gap with a Dirac-type of topological surface state. Our electronic structure calculations predict the K-doped family to emerge as a TI, with a topological gap above E_F. Thus, these compounds can become superconductors with hole-doping and potential TIs with additional electron doping. Furthermore, we predict the Bismuth-Oxide family to contain an additional Dirac cone below E_F for further hole doping, which manifests these systems to be candidates for both electron- and hole-doped topological insulators.

Giant enhancement of the optical second-harmonic emission of WSe(2) monolayers by laser excitation at exciton resonances

We show that the light-matter interaction in monolayer WSe_{2} is strongly enhanced when the incoming electromagnetic wave is in resonance with the energy of the exciton states of strongly Coulomb bound electron-hole pairs below the electronic band gap. We perform second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy as a function of laser energy and polarization at T=4  K. At the exciton resonance energies we record an enhancement by up to 3 orders of magnitude of the SHG efficiency, due to the unusual combination of electric dipole and magnetic dipole transitions. The energy and parity of the exciton states showing the strong resonance effects are identified in 1- and 2-photon photoluminescence excitation experiments, corroborated by first principles calculations. Targeting the identified exciton states in resonant 2-photon excitation allows us to maximize k-valley coherence and polarization.

Tunable ferroelectric polarization and its interplay with spin-orbit coupling in tin iodide perovskites

Ferroelectricity is a potentially crucial issue in halide perovskites, breakthrough materials in photovoltaic research. Using density functional theory simulations and symmetry analysis, we show that the lead-free perovskite iodide (FA)SnI3, containing the planar formamidinium cation FA, (NH2CHNH2)(+), is ferroelectric. In fact, the perpendicular arrangement of FA planes, leading to a 'weak' polarization, is energetically more stable than parallel arrangements of FA planes, being either antiferroelectric or 'strong' ferroelectric. Moreover, we show that the 'weak' and 'strong' ferroelectric states with the polar axis along different crystallographic directions are energetically competing. Therefore, at least at low temperatures, an electric field could stabilize different states with the polarization rotated by π/4, resulting in a highly tunable ferroelectricity appealing for multistate logic. Intriguingly, the relatively strong spin-orbit coupling in noncentrosymmetric (FA)SnI3 gives rise to a co-existence of Rashba and Dresselhaus effects and to a spin texture that can be induced, tuned and switched by an electric field controlling the ferroelectric state.

Correlating interfacial octahedral rotations with magnetism in (LaMnO3+δ)N/(SrTiO3)N superlattices

Lattice distortion due to oxygen octahedral rotations have a significant role in mediating the magnetism in oxides, and recently attracts a lot of interests in the study of complex oxides interface. However, the direct experimental evidence for the interrelation between octahedral rotation and magnetism at interface is scarce. Here we demonstrate that interfacial octahedral rotation are closely linked to the strongly modified ferromagnetism in (LaMnO3+δ)N/(SrTiO3)N superlattices. The maximized ferromagnetic moment in the N=6 superlattice is accompanied by a metastable structure (space group Imcm) featuring minimal octahedral rotations (a(-)a(-)c(-), α~4.2°, γ~0.5°). Quenched ferromagnetism for N<4 superlattices is correlated to a substantially enhanced c axis octahedral rotation (a(-)a(-)c(-), α~3.8°, γ~8° for N=2). Monte-Carlo simulation based on double-exchange model qualitatively reproduces the experimental observation, confirming the correlation between octahedral rotation and magnetism. Our study demonstrates that engineering superlattices with controllable interfacial structures can be a feasible new route in realizing functional magnetic materials.

Oxidation of ethane to ethanol by N2O in a metal-organic framework with coordinatively unsaturated iron(II) sites

Enzymatic haem and non-haem high-valent iron-oxo species are known to activate strong C-H bonds, yet duplicating this reactivity in a synthetic system remains a formidable challenge. Although instability of the terminal iron-oxo moiety is perhaps the foremost obstacle, steric and electronic factors also limit the activity of previously reported mononuclear iron(IV)-oxo compounds. In particular, although nature's non-haem iron(IV)-oxo compounds possess high-spin S = 2 ground states, this electronic configuration has proved difficult to achieve in a molecular species. These challenges may be mitigated within metal-organic frameworks that feature site-isolated iron centres in a constrained, weak-field ligand environment. Here, we show that the metal-organic framework Fe2(dobdc) (dobdc(4-) = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) and its magnesium-diluted analogue, Fe0.1Mg1.9(dobdc), are able to activate the C-H bonds of ethane and convert it into ethanol and acetaldehyde using nitrous oxide as the terminal oxidant. Electronic structure calculations indicate that the active oxidant is likely to be a high-spin S = 2 iron(IV)-oxo species.