Abstract: We report quantum Monte Carlo evidence of the existence of large gap superfluidity in electron-hole double layers over wide density ranges. The superfluid parameters evolve from normal state to BEC with decreasing density, with the BCS state restricted to a tiny range of densities due to the strong screening of Coulomb interactions, which causes the gap to rapidly become large near the onset of superfluidity. The superfluid properties exhibit similarities to ultracold fermions and iron-based superconductors, suggesting an underlying universal behavior of BCS-BEC crossovers in pairing systems.

Abstract: The investigation of thermal transport properties of novel two-dimensional materials is crucially important in order to assess their potential to be used in future technological applications, such as thermoelectric power generation. In this respect, the lattice thermal transport properties of the monolayer structures of group VA elements (P, As, Sb, Bi, PAs, PSb, PBi, AsSb, AsBi, SbBi, P3As1, P3Sb1, P1As3, and As3Sb1) with a black phosphorus like puckered structure were systematically investigated by first-principles calculations and an iterative solution of the phonon Boltzmann transport equation. Phosphorene was found to have the highest lattice thermal conductivity, , due to its low average atomic mass and strong interatomic bonding character. As a matter of course, anisotropic was obtained for all the considered materials, owing to anisotropy in frequency values and phonon group velocities calculated for these structures. However, the determined linear correlation between the anisotropy in the values of P, As, and Sb is significant. The results corresponding to the studied compound structures clearly point out that thermal (electronic) conductivity of pristine monolayers might be suppressed (improved) by alloying them with the same group elements. For instance, the room temperature of PBi along the armchair direction was predicted to be as low as 1.5 W m(-1) K-1, whereas that of P was predicted to be 21 W m(-1) K-1. In spite of the apparent differences in structural and vibrational properties, we peculiarly revealed an intriguing correlation between the values of all the considered materials as = c(1) + c(2)/m(2), in particular along the zigzag direction. Furthermore, our calculations on compound structures clearly showed that the thermoelectric potential of these materials can be improved by suppressing their thermal properties. The presence of ultra-low values and high electrical conductivity (especially along the armchair direction) makes this class of monolayers promising candidates for thermoelectric applications.

Abstract: We study the effects of an applied in-plane uniaxial strain on the plasmon dispersions of monolayer, bilayer, and double-layer black phosphorus structures in the long-wavelength limit within the linear elasticity theory. In the low-energy limit, these effects can be modeled through the change in the curvature of the anisotropic energy band along the armchair and zigzag directions. We derive analytical relations of the plasmon modes under uniaxial strain and show that the direction of the applied strain is important. Moreover, we observe that along the armchair direction, the changes of the plasmon dispersion with strain are different and larger than those along the zigzag direction. Using the analytical relations of two-layer phosphorene systems, we found that the strain-dependent orientation factor of layers could be considered as a means to control the variations of the plasmon energy. Furthermore, our study shows that the plasmonic collective modes are more affected when the strain is applied equally to the layers compared to the case in which the strain is applied asymmetrically to the layers. We also calculate the effect of strain on the drag resistivity in a double-layer black phosphorus structure and obtain that the changes in the plasmonic excitations, due to an applied strain, are mainly responsible for the predicted results. This study can be readily extended to other anisotropic two-dimensional materials. Published by AIP Publishing.

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 quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect is a topologically nontrivial phase, characterized by a non-zero Chern number defined in the bulk and chiral edge states in the boundary. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate the presence of the QAH effect in a 1T-YN2 monolayer, which was recently predicted to be a Dirac half metal without spin-orbit coupling (SOC). We show that the inclusion of SOC opens up a large nontrivial bandgap of nearly 0.1 eV in the electronic band structure. This results in the nontrivial bulk topology, which is confirmed by the calculation of Berry curvature, anomalous Hall conductance and the presence of chiral edge states. Remarkably, a QAH phase of high Chern number C = 3 is found, and there are three corresponding gapless chiral edge states emerging inside the bulk gap. Different substrates are also chosen to study the possible experimental realization of the 1T-YN2 monolayer, while retaining its nontrivial topological properties. Our results open a new avenue in searching for QAH insulators with high temperature and high Chern numbers, which can have nontrivial practical applications.

Abstract: There is an increasing need to understand interfaces between two-dimensional materials to realize an energy efficient boundary with low contact resistance and small heat dissipation. In this respect, we investigated the impact of charge and substitutional atom doping on the electronic transport properties of the hybrid metallic-semiconducting lateral junctions, formed between metallic (1T and 1T(d)) and semiconducting (1H) phases of MoS2 by means of first-principles and non-equilibrium Green function formalism based calculations. Our results clearly revealed the strong influence of the type of interface and crystallographic orientation of the metallic phase on the transport properties of these systems. The Schottky barrier height, which is the dominant mechanism for contact resistance, was found to be as large as 0.63 eV and 1.19 eV for holes and electrons, respectively. We found that armchair interfaces are more conductive as compared to zigzag termination due to the presence of the metallic Mo zigzag chains that are directed along the transport direction. In order to manipulate these barrier heights we investigated the influence of electron doping of the metallic part (i.e. 1T(d) -MoS2). We observed that the Fermi level of the hybrid system moves towards the conduction band of semiconducting 1H-MoS2 due to filling of 4d-orbital of metallic MoS2, and thus the Schottky barrier for electrons decreases considerably. Besides electron doping, we also investigated the effect of substitutional doping of metallic MoS2 by replacing Mo atoms with either Re or Ta. Due to its valency, Re (Ta) behaves as a donor (acceptor) and reduces the Schottky barrier for electrons (holes). Since Re and Ta based transition metal dichalcogenides crystallize in either the 1T(d) or 1T phase, substitutional doping with these atom favors the stabilization of the 1T(d) phase of MoS2. Co-doping of hybrid structure results in an electronic structure, which facilities easy dissociation of excitons created in the 1H part.

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: In a recent paper [Phys. Rev. B 89, 155403 (2014)], the authors investigated the spectrum of a Coulomb impurity in graphene in the presence of magnetic and electric fields using the coupled series expansion approach. In the first part of their paper, they investigated how Coulomb impurity states collapse in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field. We argue that the obtained spectrum does not give information about the atomic collapse and that their interpretation of the spectrum regarding atomic collapse is not correct. We also argue that the obtained results are only valid up to the dimensionless charge vertical bar alpha vertical bar = 0.5 and, to obtain correct results for alpha > 0.5, a proper regularization of the Coulomb interaction is required. Here we present the correct numerical results for the spectrum for arbitrary values of alpha.

Abstract: Atoms start behaving as waves rather than classical particles if confined in spaces commensurate with their de Broglie wavelength. At room temperature this length is only about one angstrom even for the lightest atom, hydrogen. This restricts quantum-confinement phenomena for atomic species to the realm of very low temperatures(1-5). Here, we show that van der Waals gaps between atomic planes of layered crystals provide angstrom-size channels that make quantum confinement of protons apparent even at room temperature. Our transport measurements show that thermal protons experience a notably higher barrier than deuterons when entering van der Waals gaps in hexagonal boron nitride and molybdenum disulfide. This is attributed to the difference in the de Broglie wavelengths of the isotopes. Once inside the crystals, transport of both isotopes can be described by classical diffusion, albeit with unexpectedly fast rates comparable to that of protons in water. The demonstrated angstrom-size channels can be exploited for further studies of atomistic quantum confinement and, if the technology can be scaled up, for sieving hydrogen isotopes.

Abstract: Today, further downscaling of mobile electronic devices poses serious problems, such as energy consumption and local heat dissipation. In this context, spin wave majority gates made of very thin ferromagnetic films may offer a viable alternative. However, similar downscaling of magnetic thin films eventually enforces the latter to operate as quasi-2D magnets, the magnetic properties of which are not yet fully understood, especially those related to anisotropies and external magnetic fields in arbitrary directions. To this end, we have investigated the behaviour of an easy-plane and easy-axis anisotropic ferromagnet-both in two and three dimensions-subjected to a uniform magnetic field, applied along an arbitrary direction. In this paper, a spin-1/2 Heisenberg Hamiltonian with anisotropic exchange interactions is solved using double-time temperature-dependent Green's functions and the Tyablikov decoupling approximation. We determine various magnetic properties such as the Curie temperature and the magnetization as a function of temperature and the applied magnetic field, discussing the impact of the system's dimensionality and the type of anisotropy. The magnetic reorientation transition taking place in anisotropic Heisenberg ferromagnets is studied in detail. Importantly, spontaneous magnetization is found to be absent for easy-plane 2D spin systems with short range interactions.

Abstract: Discrepancies exist between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured performance of band-to-band tunneling devices, such as Esaki diodes and tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs). We resolve this discrepancy for highly-doped, direct-bandgap Esaki diodes by successfully calibrating a semi-classical model for high-doping-induced ballistic band-tails tunneling currents at multiple temperatures with two In0.53Ga0.47As Esaki diodes using their SIMS doping profiles, C-V characteristics and their forward-bias current density in the negative differential resistance (NDR) regime. The current swing in the NDR regime is shown not to be linked to the band-tails Urbach energy. We further demonstrate theoretically that the calibrated band-tails contribution is also the dominant band-tails contribution to the subthreshold swing of the corresponding TFETs. Lastly, we verify that the presented procedure is applicable to all direct-bandgap semiconductors by successfully applying it to InAs Esaki diodes in literature.

Abstract: Edge functionalization of graphene nanoribbons with nitrogen atoms for various adatom configurations at armchair and zigzag edges are investigated. We provide comprehensive information on the electronic and magnetic properties and investigate the stability of the various systems. Two types of rippling of the nanoribbons, namely edge and bulk rippling depending on the sign of edge stress induced at the edge, are found. They are found to play the decisive role for the stability of the structures. We also propose a type of edge decoration in which every third nitrogen adatom at the zigzag edges is replaced by an oxygen atom. In this way, the electron count is compatible with a full aromatic structure, leading to additional stability and a disappearance of magnetism that is usually associated with zigzag nanoribbons.

Abstract: Controlled transport of water molecules through membranes and capillaries is important in areas as diverse as water purification and healthcare technologies(1-7). Previous attempts to control water permeation through membranes (mainly polymeric ones) have concentrated on modulating the structure of the membrane and the physicochemical properties of its surface by varying the pH, temperature or ionic strength(3,8). Electrical control over water transport is an attractive alternative; however, theory and simulations(9-14) have often yielded conflicting results, from freezing of water molecules to melting of ice(14-16) under an applied electric field. Here we report electrically controlled water permeation through micrometre-thick graphene oxide membranes(17-21). Such membranes have previously been shown to exhibit ultrafast permeation of water(17,22) and molecular sieving properties(18,21), with the potential for industrial-scale production. To achieve electrical control over water permeation, we create conductive filaments in the graphene oxide membranes via controllable electrical breakdown. The electric field that concentrates around these current-carrying filaments ionizes water molecules inside graphene capillaries within the graphene oxide membranes, which impedes water transport. We thus demonstrate precise control of water permeation, from ultrafast permeation to complete blocking. Our work opens up an avenue for developing smart membrane technologies for artificial biological systems, tissue engineering and filtration.

Abstract: Coupled 2D sheets of electrons and holes are predicted to support novel quantum phases. Two experiments of Coulomb drag in electron-hole (e-h) double bilayer graphene (DBLG) have reported an unexplained and puzzling sign reversal of the drag signal. However, we show that this effect is due to the multiband character of DBLG. Our multiband Fermi liquid theory produces excellent agreement and captures the key features of the experimental drag resistance for all temperatures. This demonstrates the importance of multiband effects in DBLG: they have a strong effect not only on superfluidity, but also on the drag.

Abstract: The permeation of water between neighboring graphene oxide (GO) flakes, i.e., 2D nanochannels, are investigated using a simple model for the GO membrane. We simulate the hydrophilic behavior of nanocapillaries and study the effect of surface charge on the dynamical properties of water flow and the influence of Na+ and Cl- ions on water permeation. Our approach is based on extensive equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to obtain a better understanding of water permeation through charged nanochannels in the presence of ions. We found significant change in the slippage dynamics of confined water such as a profound increase in viscosity/slip length with increasing charges over the surface. The slip length decreases one order of magnitude (i.e., 1/30) with increasing density of surface charge, while it increases by a factor of 2 with ion concentration. We found that commensurability induced by nanoconfinement plays an important role on the intrinsic dynamical properties of water.