Abstract: The influence of a perpendicular magnetic field on the binding energy and structural properties of excitons, trions, and biexcitons in monolayers of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is investigated. The stochastic variational method (SVM) with a correlated Gaussian basis is used to calculate the different properties of these few-particle systems. In addition, we present a simplified variational approach which supports the SVM results for excitons as a function of magnetic field. The exciton diamagnetic shift is compared with recent experimental results, and we extend this concept to trions and biexcitons. The effect of a local potential fluctuation, which we model by a circular potential well, on the binding energy of trions and biexcitons is investigated and found to significantly increase the binding of those excitonic complexes.

Abstract: The densities of phonon states of thin Sn films on InSb substrates are determined during different stages of the alpha-Sn to beta-Sn phase transition using nuclear inelastic x-ray scattering. The vibrational entropy and internal energy per atom as a function of temperature are obtained by numerical integration of the phonon density of states. The free energy as a function of temperature for the nanoscale samples is compared to the free energy obtained from ab initio calculations of bulk tin in the alpha-Sn and beta-Sn phase. In thin films this phase transition is governed by the interplay between the vibrational behavior of the film (the phase transition is driven by the vibrational entropy) and the stabilizing influence of the substrate (which depends on the film thickness). This brings a deeper understanding of the role of lattice vibrations in the phase transition of nanoscale Sn.

Abstract: We study electron tunneling through a planar magnetic and electric barrier on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator. For the double barrier structures, we find (i) a directional-dependent tunneling which is sensitive to the magnetic field configuration and the electric gate voltage, (ii) a spin rotation controlled by the magnetic field and the gate voltage, (iii) many Fabry-Pérot resonances in the transmission determined by the distance between the two barriers, and (iv) the electrostatic potential can enhance the difference in the transmission between the two magnetization configurations, and consequently lead to a giant magnetoresistance. Points (i), (iii), and (iv) are alike with that in graphene stemming from the same linear-dispersion relations.

Abstract: Two-dimensional transition-metal dinitrides have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their rich magnetic properties. Here, we focus on rare-earth-metal elements and propose a monolayer of lanthanum dinitride with a 1T structural phase, 1T-LaN2. Using first-principles calculations, we systematically investigated the structure, stability, magnetism, and band structure of this material. It is a flexible and stable monolayer exhibiting a low lattice thermal conductivity, which is promising for future thermoelectric devices. The monolayer shows the ferromagnetic ground state with a spin-polarized band structure. Two linear spin-polarized bands cross at the Fermi level forming a Dirac point, which is formed by the p atomic orbitals of the N atoms, indicating that monolayer 1T-LaN2 is a Dirac spin-gapless semiconductor of p-state. When the spin-orbit coupling is taken into account, a large nontrivial indirect bandgap (86/354meV) can be opened at the Dirac point, and three chiral edge states are obtained, corresponding to a high Chern number of C=3, implying that monolayer 1T-LaN2 is a Chern insulator. Importantly, this kind of band structure is expected to occur in more monolayers of rare-earth-metal dinitride with a 1T structural phase.

Abstract: Motivated by the recent successful synthesis of double-M carbides, we investigate structural and electronic properties of WCrC and WCrCO2 monolayers and the effects of biaxial and out-of-plane strain and electric field using density functional theory. WCrC and WCrCO2 monolayers are found to be dynamically stable. WCrC is metallic and WCrCO2 display semi-metallic character with narrow band gap, which can be controlled by strain engineering and electric field. WCrCO2 monolayer exhibits a dual band gap which is preserved in the presence of an electric field. The band gap of WCrCO2 monolayer increases under uniaxial strain while it becomes metallic under tensile strain, resulting in an exotic 2D double semi-metallic behavior. Our results demonstrate that WCrCO2 is a new platform for the study of novel physical properties in two-dimensional Dirac materials and which may provide new opportunities to realize high-speed low-dissipation devices.

Abstract: Using first-principles calculations we investigate the interaction of various molecules, including H-2, N-2, CO, CO2, H2O, H2S, NH3, CH4 with a C3N nanosheet. Due to the weaker interaction between H-2, N-2, CO, CO2, H2O, H2S, NH3, and CH4 molecules with C3N, the adsorption energy is small and does not yield any significant distortion of the C3N lattice and the molecules are physisorbed. Calculated charge transfer shows that these molecules act as weak donors. However, adsorption of O-2, NO, NO2 and SO2 molecules are chemisorbed, they receive electrons from C3N and act as a strong acceptor. They interact strongly through hybridizing its frontier orbitals with the p-orbital of C3N, modifying the electronic structure of C3N. Our theoretical studies indicate that C3N-based sensor has a high potential for O-2, NO, NO2 and SO2 molecules detection.

Abstract: Since the 1960's it has been well known that the basic superconductive quantities can exhibit oscillations as functions of the thickness (diameter) in superconducting nanofilms (nanowires) due to the size quantization of the electronic spectrum. However, very little is known about the effects of quantum confinement on the microscopic properties of vortices. Based on a numerical solution to the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations, we study the quantum-size oscillations of the vortex core resulting from the sequential interchange of the Kramer-Pesch and anti-Kramer-Pesch regimes with changing nanocylinder radius. The physics behind the anti-Kramer-Pesch anomaly is displayed by utilizing a semi-analytical Anderson approximate solution. We also demonstrate that the anti-Kramer-Pesch vortex core is robust against thermal smearing and results in a distinctive two-maxima structure in the local density of states, which can be used to identify the existence of the anti-Kramer-Pesch vortex.

Abstract: We present a detailed theoretical study of the optoelectronic properties of a Na3Bi based three-dimensional Dirac electronic system (3DDES). The optical conductivity is evaluated using the energy-balance equation derived from a Boltzmann equation, where the electron Hamiltonian is taken from a simplified k . p approach. We find that for short-wavelength irradiation, the optical absorption in Na3Bi is mainly due to inter-band electronic transitions. In contrast to the universal optical conductance observed for graphene, the optical conductivity for Na3Bi based 3DDES depends on the radiation frequency but not on temperature, carrier density, and electronic relaxation time. In the radiation wavelength regime of about 5 mu m, < lambda < 200 mu m, an optical absorption window is found. This is similar to what is observed in graphene. The position and width of the absorption window depend on the direction of the light polarization and sensitively on temperature, carrier density, and electronic relaxation time. Particularly, we demonstrate that the inter-band optical absorption channel can be switched on and off by applying the gate voltage. This implies that similar to graphene, Na3Bi based 3DDES can also be applied in infrared electro-optical modulators. Our theoretical findings are helpful in gaining an in-depth understanding of the basic optoelectronic properties of recently discovered 3DDESs.

Abstract: Atomic collapse can be observed in graphene because of its large “effective” fine structure constant, which enables this phenomenon to occur for an impurity charge as low as Z(c) similar to 1-2. Here we investigate the effect of the sublattice symmetry on molecular collapse in two spatially separated charge tunable vacancies, which are located on the same (A-A type) or different (A-B type) sublattices. We find that the broken sublattice symmetry: (1) does not affect the location of the main bonding and antibonding molecular collapse peaks, (2) but shifts the position of the satellite peaks, because they are a consequence of the breaking of the local sublattice symmetry, and (3) there are vacancy characteristic collapse peaks that only occur for A-B type vacancies, which can be employed to distinguish them experimentally from the A-A type. As the charge, energy, and separation distance increase, the additional collapse features merge with the main molecular collapse peaks. We show that the spatial distribution around the vacancy site of the collapse states allows us to differentiate the molecular from the frustrated collapse.

Abstract: We present a detailed theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of topological insulator thin film (TITFs). The k . p approach is employed to calculate the energy spectra and wave functions for both the bulk and surface states in the TITF. With these obtained results, the optical conductivities induced by different electronic transitions among the bulk and surface states are evaluated using the energy-balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation. We find that for Bi2Se3-based TITFs, three characteristic regimes for the optical absorption can be observed. (i) In the low radiation frequency regime (photon energy (h) over bar omega < 200 meV), the free-carrier absorption takes place due to intraband electronic transitions. An optical absorption window can be observed. (ii) In the intermediate radiation frequency regime (200 < (h) over bar omega < 300 meV), the optical absorption is induced mainly by interband electronic transitions from surface states in the valance band to surface states in the conduction band and an universal value sigma(0) = e(2) / (8<(h)over bar>) for the optical conductivity can be obtained. (iii) In the high radiation frequency regime ((h) over bar omega > 300 meV), the optical absorption can be achieved via interband electronic transitions from bulk and surface states in the valance band to bulk and surface states in the conduction band. A strong absorption peak can be observed. These interesting findings indicate that optical measurements can be applied to identify the energy regimes of bulk and surface states in the TITF. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Abstract: We present a theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of ABC-stacked trilayer graphene (TLG). The optical conductance and light transmittance are evaluated through using the energy-balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation for an air/graphene/dielectric-wafer system in the presence of linearly polarized radiation field. The results obtained from two band structure models are examined and compared. For short wavelength radiation, the universal optical conductance sigma(0) = 3e(2)/(4h) can be obtained. Importantly, there exists an optical absorption window in the radiation wavelength range 10-200 mu m, which is induced by different transition energies required for inter- and intra-band optical absorption channels. As a result, we find that the position and width of this window depend sensitively on temperature and carrier density of the system, especially the lower frequency edge. There is a small characteristic absorption peak at about 82 mu m where the largest interband transition states exist in the ABC-stacked TLG model, in contrast to the relatively smooth curves in a simplified model. These theoretical results indicate that TLG has some interesting and important physical properties which can be utilized to realize infrared or THz optoelectronic devices.

Abstract: Magneto-optical (MO) properties of bi- and tri-layer graphene are investigated utilizing terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) in the presence of a strong magnetic field at room-temperature. In the Faraday configuration and applying optical polarization measurements, we measure the real and imaginary parts of the longitudinal and transverse MO conductivities of different graphene samples. The obtained experimental data fits very well with the classical MO Drude formula. Thus, we are able to obtain the key sample and material parameters of bi- and tri-layer graphene, such as the electron effective mass, the electronic relaxation time and the electron density. It is found that in high magnetic fields the electronic relaxation time tau for bi- and tri-layer graphene increases with magnetic field B roughly in a form tau similar to B-2. Most importantly, we obtain the electron effective mass for bi- and tri-layer graphene at room-temperature under non-resonant conditions. This work shows how the advanced THz MO techniques can be applied for the investigation into fundamental physics properties of atomically thin 2D electronic systems.

Abstract: Massless Dirac fermions (MDFs) emerge as quasiparticles in various novel materials such as graphene and topological insulators, and they exhibit several intriguing properties, of which Veselago focusing is an outstanding example with a lot of possible applications. However, up to now Veselago focusing merely occurred in p-n junction devices based on the isotropic MDF, which lacks the tunability needed for realistic applications. Here, motivated by the emergence of novel Dirac materials, we investigate the propagation behaviors of anisotropic MDFs in such a p-n junction structure. By projecting the Hamiltonian of the anisotropic MDF to that of the isotropic MDF and deriving an exact analytical expression for the propagator, precise Veselago focusing is demonstrated without the need for mirror symmetry of the electron source and its focusing image. We show a tunable focusing position that can be used in a device to probe masked atom-scale defects. This study provides an innovative concept to realize Veselago focusing relevant for potential applications, and it paves the way for the design of novel electron optics devices by exploiting the anisotropic MDF.

Abstract: Using Floquet-Bloch theory, we propose to realize chiral topological phases in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal FeX2 (X=Cl, Br, I) monolayers under irradiation of circularly polarized light. Such 2D FeX2 monolayers are predicted to be dynamically stable and exhibit both ferromagnetic and semiconducting properties. To capture the full topological physics of the magnetic semiconductor under periodic driving, we adopt ab initio Wannier-based tight-binding methods for the Floquet-Bloch bands, with the light-induced bandgap closings and openings being obtained as the light field strength increases. The calculations of slabs with open boundaries show the existence of chiral edge states. Interestingly, the topological transitions with branches of chiral edge states changing from zero to one and from one to two by tuning the light amplitude are obtained, showing that the topological Floquet phase of high Chern number can be induced in the present Floquet-Bloch systems. Published under license by AIP Publishing.

Abstract: We present a theoretical study of the plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes induced by intraband electron-electron interaction in graphene in the presence of driving dc electric field. We find that the electric field dependence of these collective excitation modes in graphene differs significantly from that in a conventional two-dimensional electron gas with a parabolic energy spectrum. This is due mainly to the fact that graphene has a linear energy spectrum and the Fermi velocity of electrons in graphene is much larger than the drift velocity of electrons. The obtained results demonstrate that the plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes in graphene can be tuned by applying not only the gate voltage but also the source-to-drain field. The manipulation of plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes by source-to-drain voltage can let graphene be more conveniently applied as an advanced plasmonic material.