Colossal magnetoresistance in the multiple wave vector charge density wave regime of an antiferromagnetic Dirac semimetal.

Colossal negative magnetoresistance is a well-known phenomenon, notably observed in hole-doped ferromagnetic manganites. It remains a major research topic due to its potential in technological applications. In contrast, topological semimetals show large but positive magnetoresistance, originated from the high-mobility charge carriers. Here, we show that in the highly electron-doped region, the Dirac semimetal CeSbTe demonstrates similar properties as the manganites. CeSb0.11Te1.90 hosts multiple charge density wave modulation vectors and has a complex magnetic phase diagram. We confirm that this compound is an antiferromagnetic Dirac semimetal. Despite having a metallic Fermi surface, the electronic transport properties are semiconductor-like and deviate from known theoretical models. An external magnetic field induces a semiconductor metal-like transition, which results in a colossal negative magnetoresistance. Moreover, signatures of the coupling between the charge density wave and a spin modulation are observed in resistivity. This spin modulation also produces a giant anomalous Hall response.

Is There a Polaron Signature in Angle-Resolved Photoemission of CsPbBr_{3}?

The formation of large polarons has been proposed as reason for the high defect tolerance, low mobility, low charge carrier trapping, and low nonradiative recombination rates of lead halide perovskites. Recently, direct evidence for large-polaron formation has been reported from a 50% effective mass enhancement in angle-resolved photoemission of CsPbBr_{3} over theory for the orthorhombic structure. We present in-depth band dispersion measurements of CsPbBr_{3} and GW calculations, which lead to similar effective masses at the valence band maximum of 0.203±0.016 m_{0} in experiment and 0.226 m_{0} in orthorhombic theory. We argue that the effective mass can be explained solely on the basis of electron-electron correlation and large-polaron formation cannot be concluded from photoemission data.

Band Engineering of Dirac Semimetals Using Charge Density Waves.

New developments in the field of topological matter are often driven by materials discovery, including novel topological insulators, Dirac semimetals, and Weyl semimetals. In the last few years, large efforts have been made to classify all known inorganic materials with respect to their topology. Unfortunately, a large number of topological materials suffer from non-ideal band structures. For example, topological bands are frequently convoluted with trivial ones, and band structure features of interest can appear far below the Fermi level. This leaves just a handful of materials that are intensively studied. Finding strategies to design new topological materials is a solution. Here, a new mechanism is introduced, which is based on charge density waves and non-symmorphic symmetry, to design an idealized Dirac semimetal. It is then shown experimentally that the antiferromagnetic compound GdSb0.46 Te1.48 is a nearly ideal Dirac semimetal based on the proposed mechanism, meaning that most interfering bands at the Fermi level are suppressed. Its highly unusual transport behavior points to a thus far unknown regime, in which Dirac carriers with Fermi energy very close to the node seem to gradually localize in the presence of lattice and magnetic disorder.

Overdoping Graphene beyond the van Hove Singularity.

At very high doping levels the van Hove singularity in the π^{*} band of graphene becomes occupied and exotic ground states possibly emerge, driven by many-body interactions. Employing a combination of ytterbium intercalation and potassium adsorption, we n dope epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide past the π^{*} van Hove singularity, up to a charge carrier density of 5.5×10^{14} cm^{-2}. This regime marks the unambiguous completion of a Lifshitz transition in which the Fermi surface topology has evolved from two electron pockets into a giant hole pocket. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy confirms these changes to be driven by electronic structure renormalizations rather than a rigid band shift. Our results open up the previously unreachable beyond-van-Hove regime in the phase diagram of epitaxial graphene, thereby accessing an unexplored landscape of potential exotic phases in this prototype two-dimensional material.

Identification of Stem Rust Resistance Genes in the Winter Wheat Collection from Southern Russia.

The high yield potential of winter wheats cannot be realized due to disease pressure under field conditions. One of the most harmful of such diseases is stem rust, hence the constant search for sources of resistance and the development of new varieties resistant to stem rust is of great relevance. This study deals with the identification of stem rust resistance genes in a collection of winter wheats grown in Southern Russia. This genepool has not been studied yet. A total of 620 samples of winter soft wheat from various ecological and geographical zones were tested under field conditions. To identify the specific genes or alleles responsible for resistance, all samples were genotyped using PCR. As a result, the groups of resistant samples, carrying the Sr2, Sr31, Sr38 and Sr44 genes in various combinations, were identified. Most of the stem rust resistance was provided by the presence of the effective Sr44 gene. This information can be used in the future breeding work for stem rust resistance.

Layer-by-Layer Graphene Growth on ß-SiC/Si(001).

The mechanism of few-layer graphene growth on the technologically relevant cubic-SiC/Si(001) substrate is uncovered using high-resolution core-level and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy electron microscopy, and microspot low-energy electron diffraction. The thickness of the graphitic overlayer supported on the silicon carbide substrate and related changes in the surface structure are precisely controlled by monitoring the progress of the surface graphitization in situ during high-temperature graphene synthesis, using a combination of microspectroscopic techniques. The experimental data reveal gradual changes in the preferential graphene lattice orientations at the initial stages of the few-layer graphene growth on SiC(001) and can act as reference data for controllable growth of single-, double-, and triple-layer graphene on silicon carbide substrates.

Cobalt-assisted recrystallization and alignment of pure and doped graphene.

Recrystallization of bulk materials is a well-known phenomenon, which is widely used in commercial manufacturing. However, for low-dimensional materials like graphene, this process still remains an unresolved puzzle. Thus, the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the required conditions for recrystallization in low dimensions is essential for the elaboration of routes towards the inexpensive and reliable production of high-quality nanomaterials. Here, we unveil the details of the efficient recrystallization of one-atom-thick pure and boron-doped polycrystalline graphene layers on a Co(0001) surface. By applying photoemission and electron diffraction, we show how more than 90% of the initially misoriented graphene grains can be reconstructed into a well-oriented and single-crystalline layer. The obtained recrystallized graphene/Co interface exhibits high structural quality with a pronounced sublattice asymmetry, which is important for achieving an unbalanced sublattice doping of graphene. By exploring the kinetics of recrystallization for native and B-doped graphene on Co, we were able to estimate the activation energy and propose a mechanism of this process.

Raman Spectroscopy of Lattice-Matched Graphene on Strongly Interacting Metal Surfaces.

Regardless of the widely accepted opinion that there is no Raman signal from single-layer graphene when it is strongly bonded to a metal surface, we present Raman spectra of a graphene monolayer on Ni(111) and Co(0001) substrates. The high binding energy of carbon to these surfaces allows formation of lattice-matched (1 × 1) structures where graphene is significantly stretched. This is reflected in a record-breaking shift of the Raman G band by more than 100 cm-1 relative to the case of freestanding graphene. Using electron diffraction and photoemission spectroscopy, we explore the aforementioned systems together with polycrystalline graphene on Co and analyze possible intercalation of oxygen at ambient conditions. The results obtained are fully supported by Raman spectroscopy. Performing a theoretical investigation of the phonon dispersions of freestanding graphene and stretched graphene on the strongly interacting Co surface, we explain the main features of the Raman spectra. Our results create a reliable platform for application of Raman spectroscopy in diagnostics of chemisorbed graphene and related materials.

Dirac cone protected by non-symmorphic symmetry and three-dimensional Dirac line node in ZrSiS.

Materials harbouring exotic quasiparticles, such as massless Dirac and Weyl fermions, have garnered much attention from physics and material science communities due to their exceptional physical properties such as ultra-high mobility and extremely large magnetoresistances. Here, we show that the highly stable, non-toxic and earth-abundant material, ZrSiS, has an electronic band structure that hosts several Dirac cones that form a Fermi surface with a diamond-shaped line of Dirac nodes. We also show that the square Si lattice in ZrSiS is an excellent template for realizing new types of two-dimensional Dirac cones recently predicted by Young and Kane. Finally, we find that the energy range of the linearly dispersed bands is as high as 2 eV above and below the Fermi level; much larger than of other known Dirac materials. This makes ZrSiS a very promising candidate to study Dirac electrons, as well as the properties of lines of Dirac nodes.

Giant Rashba-Type Spin Splitting in Ferroelectric GeTe(111).

Photoelectron spectroscopy in combination with piezoforce microscopy reveals that the helicity of Rashba bands is coupled to the nonvolatile ferroelectric polarization of GeTe(111). A novel surface Rashba band is found and fingerprints of a bulk Rashba band are identified by comparison with density functional theory calculations.

Observation of quantum-tunnelling-modulated spin texture in ultrathin topological insulator Bi2Se3 films.

Understanding the spin-texture behaviour of boundary modes in ultrathin topological insulator films is critically essential for the design and fabrication of functional nanodevices. Here, by using spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with p-polarized light in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films, we report tunnelling-dependent evolution of spin configuration in topological insulator thin films across the metal-to-insulator transition. We report a systematic binding energy- and wavevector-dependent spin polarization for the topological surface electrons in the ultrathin gapped-Dirac-cone limit. The polarization decreases significantly with enhanced tunnelling realized systematically in thin insulating films, whereas magnitude of the polarization saturates to the bulk limit faster at larger wavevectors in thicker metallic films. We present a theoretical model that captures this delicate relationship between quantum tunnelling and Fermi surface spin polarization. Our high-resolution spin-based spectroscopic results suggest that the polarization current can be tuned to zero in thin insulating films forming the basis for a future spin-switch nanodevice.

Rotated domain network in graphene on cubic-SiC(001).

The atomic structure of the cubic-SiC(001) surface during ultra-high vacuum graphene synthesis has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low-energy electron diffraction. Atomically resolved STM studies prove the synthesis of a uniform, millimeter-scale graphene overlayer consisting of nanodomains rotated by ±13.5° relative to the left angle bracket 110 right angle bracket-directed boundaries. The preferential directions of the domain boundaries coincide with the directions of carbon atomic chains on the SiC(001)-c(2 × 2) reconstruction, fabricated prior to graphene synthesis. The presented data show the correlation between the atomic structures of the SiC(001)-c(2 × 2) surface and the graphene/SiC(001) rotated domain network and pave the way for optimizing large-area graphene synthesis on low-cost cubic-SiC(001)/Si(001) wafers.

Negligible surface reactivity of topological insulators Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 towards oxygen and water.

The long-term stability of functional properties of topological insulator materials is crucial for the operation of future topological insulator based devices. Water and oxygen have been reported to be the main sources of surface deterioration by chemical reactions. In the present work, we investigate the behavior of the topological surface states on Bi2X3 (X = Se, Te) by valence-band and core level photoemission in a wide range of water and oxygen pressures both in situ (from 10(-8) to 0.1 mbar) and ex situ (at 1 bar). We find that no chemical reactions occur in pure oxygen and in pure water. Water itself does not chemically react with both Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 surfaces and only leads to slight p-doping. In dry air, the oxidation of the Bi2Te3 surface occurs on the time scale of months, in the case of Bi2Se3 surface of cleaved crystal, not even on the time scale of years. The presence of water, however, promotes the oxidation in air, and we suggest the underlying reactions supported by density functional calculations. All in all, the surface reactivity is found to be negligible, which allows expanding the acceptable ranges of conditions for preparation, handling and operation of future Bi2X3-based devices.

Hydrogenation, purification, and unzipping of carbon nanotubes by reaction with molecular hydrogen: road to graphane nanoribbons.

Reaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with hydrogen gas was studied in a temperature interval of 400-550 °C and at hydrogen pressure of 50 bar. Hydrogenation of nanotubes was observed for samples treated at 400-450 °C with about 1/3 of carbon atoms forming covalent C-H bonds, whereas hydrogen treatment at higher temperatures (550 °C) occurs as an etching. Unzipping of some SWNTs into graphene nanoribbons is observed as a result of hydrogenation at 400-550 °C. Annealing in hydrogen gas at elevated conditions for prolonged periods of time (72 h) is demonstrated to result also in nanotube opening, purification of nanotubes from amorphous carbon, and removal of carbon coatings from Fe catalyst particles, which allows their complete elimination by acid treatment.