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Rui He

Publications and source records attributed to Rui He.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Stacking-Dependent Interlayer Phonons in 3R and 2H MoS$_{2}$

We have investigated the interlayer shear and breathing phonon modes in MoS$_{2}$ with pure 3R and 2H stacking order by using polarization-dependent ultralow-frequency Raman spectroscopy. We observe up to three shear branches and four breathing branches in MoS$_{2}$ with thickness from 2 to 13 layers. The breathing modes show the same Raman activity behavior for both polytypes, but the 2H breathing frequencies are consistently several wavenumbers higher than the 3R breathing frequencies, signifying that 2H MoS$_{2}$ has slightly stronger interlayer lattice coupling than 3R MoS$_{2}$. In contrast, the shear-mode Raman spectra are strikingly different for 2H and 3R MoS$_{2}$. While the strongest shear mode corresponds to the highest-frequency branch in the 2H structure, it corresponds to the lowest-frequency branch in the 3R structure. Such distinct and complementary Raman spectra of the 3R and 2H polytypes allow us to survey a broad range of shear modes in MoS$_{2}$, from the highest to lowest branch. By combining the linear chain model, group theory, effective bond polarizability model and first-principles calculations, we can account for all the major observations in our experiment.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Raman fingerprint of two terahertz spin wave branches in a two-dimensional honeycomb Ising ferromagnet

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetism has been long sought-after and only very recently realized in atomic crystals of magnetic van der Waals materials. So far, a comprehensive understanding of the magnetic excitations in such 2D magnets remains missing. Here we report polarized micro-Raman spectroscopy studies on a 2D honeycomb ferromagnet CrI3. We show the definitive evidence of two sets of zero-momentum spin waves at frequencies of 2.28 terahertz (THz) and 3.75 THz, respectively, that are three orders of magnitude higher than those of conventional ferromagnets. By tracking the thickness dependence of both spin waves, we reveal that both are surface spin waves with lifetimes an order of magnitude longer than their temporal periods. Our results of two branches of high-frequency, long-lived surface spin waves in 2D CrI3 demonstrate intriguing spin dynamics and intricate interplay with fluctuations in the 2D limit, thus opening up opportunities for ultrafast spintronics incorporating 2D magnets.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Raman Spectroscopy of Diesel and Gasoline Engine-Out Soot Using Different Laser Power

We studied engine-out soot samples collected from a heavy-duty direct-injection diesel engine and a port-fuel injection gasoline spark-ignition engine. The two types of soot samples were characterized using Raman spectroscopy with different laser power. A Matlab program using least-square-method with trust-region-reflective algorithm was developed for curve fitting. We used a DOE (design of experiments) method to avoid local convergence. This method was used for two-band fitting and three-band fitting. The fitting results were used to determine the intensity ratio of D and G Raman bands. We find that high laser power may cause oxidation of soot samples, which gives higher D/G intensity ratio. Diesel soot has consistently higher amorphous/graphitic carbon ratio and thus higher oxidation reactivity, in comparison to gasoline soot, which is revealed by the higher D/G intensity ratio in Raman spectra measured under the same laser power.

physics.app-ph↗

Dimensionality-driven orthorhombic MoTe2 at room temperature

We use a combination of Raman spectroscopy and transport measurements to study thin flakes of the type-II Weyl semimetal candidate MoTe2 protected from oxidation. In contrast to bulk crystals, which undergo a phase transition from monoclinic to the inversion symmetry breaking, orthorhombic phase below ~250 K, we find that in moderately thin samples below ~12 nm, a single orthorhombic phase exists up to and beyond room temperature. This could be due to the effect of c-axis confinement, which lowers the energy of an out-of-plane hole band and stabilizes the orthorhombic structure. Our results suggest that Weyl nodes, predicated upon inversion symmetry breaking, may be observed in thin MoTe2 at room temperature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Possible Structural Transformation and Enhanced Magnetic Fluctuations in Exfoliated $α$-RuCl$_3$

We present initial Raman spectroscopy experiments on exfoliated flakes of $α$-RuCl$_3$, from tens of nm thick down to single layers. Besides unexpectedly finding this material to be air stable, in the thinnest layers we observe the appearance with decreasing temperature of a symmetry-forbidden mode in crossed polarization, along with an anomalous broadening of a mode at 164 cm$^{-1}$ that is known to couple to a continuum of magnetic excitations. This may be due to an enhancement of magnetic fluctuations and evidence for a distorted honeycomb lattice in single- and bi-layer samples.

cond-mat.str-el↗

Screening limited switching performance of multilayer 2D semiconductor FETs: the case for SnS

Gate tunable p-type multilayer tin mono-sulfide (SnS) field-effect transistor (FET) devices with SnS thickness between 50 and 100 nm were fabricated and studied to understand their performances. The devices showed anisotropic inplane conductance and room temperature field effect mobilities ~5 - 10 cm$^2$/Vs. However, the devices showed appreciable OFF state conductance and an ON-OFF ratio ~10 at room temperature. The weak gate tuning behavior in the depletion regime of SnS devices is explained by the finite carrier screening length effect which causes the existence of a conductive surface layer from intrinsic defects induced holes in SnS. Through etching and n-type surface doping by Cs2CO3 to reduce/compensate the not-gatable holes near SnS flake's top surface, the devices gained an order of magnitude improvement in the ON-OFF ratio and hole Hall mobility ~ 100 cm$^2$/Vs at room temperature is observed. This work suggests that in order to obtain effective switching and low OFF state power consumption, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor based depletion mode FETs should limit their thickness to within the Debye screening length of carriers in the semiconductor.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Evolution of magnetism in cerium doped LaCo2P2 crystals: a magnetic phase diagram

ThCr2Si2-type phosphide ACo2P2 (A=Rare earth elements) has the same structure as iron arsenides, but their magnetic behaviors are quite distinct. In this paper, we for the first time grew a series of La1-xCexCo2P2 single crystals (x=0.0 to1.0), and made structural and magnetic characterizations. This allows us to carry out a careful investigation on the evolution of magnetism with cerium content and build a magnetic phase diagram. We found that the introduction of cerium induces a rapid decrease of c-axis and a change from ferromagnetic (FM) to antiferromagnetic (AFM) states. By employing first-principles band-structure calculations, we identify the formation of P-P bonding with the shortening of c-axis, which effectively drives an increase of AFM interaction and eventually leads to AFM ordering in the high doping region. The present study may shed light on the interplay between the structural collapsing and electronic/magnetic properties in 122 iron pnictides.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Distinct surface and bulk charge density waves in ultrathin 1T-TaS2

We employ low-frequency Raman spectroscopy to study the nearly commensurate (NC) to commensurate (C) charge density wave (CDW) transition in 1T-TaS2 ultrathin flakes protected from oxidation. We identify new modes originating from C phase CDW phonons that are distinct from those seen in bulk 1T-TaS2. We attribute these to CDW modes from the surface layers. By monitoring individual modes with temperature, we find that surfaces undergo a separate, low-hysteresis NC-C phase transition that is decoupled from the transition in the bulk layers. This indicates the activation of a secondary phase nucleation process in the limit of weak interlayer interaction, which can be understood from energy considerations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Room Temperature Formation of Carbon Onions via Ultrasonic Agitation of MoS2 in Isopropanol

Ultrasonic agitation is a proven method for breaking down layered materials such as MoS2 into single or few layer nanoparticles. In this experiment, MoS2 powder is sonicated in isopropanol for an extended period of time in an attempt to create particles of the smallest possible size. As expected, the process yielded a significant quantity of nanoscale MoS2 in the form of finite layer sheets with lateral dimensions as small as a few tens of nanometers. Although no evidence was found to indicate a larger the longer sonication times resulted in a significant increase in yield of single layer MoS2, the increased sonication did result in the formation of several types of carbon allotropes in addition to the sheets of MoS2. These carbon structures appear to originate from the breakdown of the isopropanol and consist of finite layer graphite platelets as well as a large number of multi-walled fullerenes, also known as carbon onions. Both the finite layer graphite and MoS2 nanoplatelets were both found to be heavily decorated with carbon onions. However, isolated clusters of carbon onions could also be found. Our results show that liquid exfoliation of MoS2 is not only useful for forming finite layer MoS2, but also creating carbon onions at room temperature as well.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Interlayer breathing and shear modes in NbSe2 atomic layers

Atomically thin NbSe2 is a metallic layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) with considerably different crystallographic structure and electronic properties from other TMDs, such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2. Properties of TMD atomic layers are sensitive to interlayer coupling. Here we investigate the interlayer phonons of few-layer NbSe2 by ultralow-frequency Raman spectroscopy. We observe both the interlayer breathing modes and shear modes at frequencies below 40 cm-1 for samples of 2 to 15 layers. Their frequency, Raman activity, and environmental instability depend systematically on the layer number. We account for these results utilizing a combination of the linear-chain model, group-theory analysis and first-principles calculations. Although NbSe2 possesses different stacking order from MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2, it exhibits the same symmetry and Raman selection rules, as well as similar interlayer coupling strength and thickness dependence of interlayer phonon modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Coupling and stacking order of ReS2 atomic layers revealed by ultralow-frequency Raman spectroscopy

We investigate the ultralow-frequency Raman response of atomically thin ReS2, a special type of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors with unique distorted 1T structure. Bilayer and few-layer ReS2 exhibit rich Raman spectra at frequencies below 50 cm-1, where a panoply of interlayer shear and breathing modes are observed. The emergence of these interlayer phonon modes indicate that the ReS2 layers are coupled and stacked orderly, in contrast to the general belief that the ReS2 layers are decoupled from one another. While the interlayer breathing modes can be described by a linear chain model as in other 2D layered crystals, the shear modes exhibit distinctive behavior due to the in-plane lattice distortion. In particular, the two shear modes in bilayer ReS2 are non-degenerate and well separated in the Raman spectrum, in contrast to the doubly degenerate shear modes in other 2D materials. By carrying out comprehensive first-principles calculations, we can account for the frequency and Raman intensity of the interlayer modes, and determine the stacking order in bilayer ReS2.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Optical Phonons in Twisted Bilayer Graphene with Gate-Induced Asymmetric Doping

Twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) devices with ion gel gate dielectrics are studied using Raman spectroscopy in the twist angle regime where a resonantly enhanced G band can be observed. We observe prominent splitting and intensity quenching on the G Raman band when the carrier density is tuned away from charge neutrality. This G peak splitting is attributed to asymmetric charge doping in the two graphene layers, which reveals individual phonon self-energy renormalization of the two weakly-coupled layers of graphene. We estimate the effective interlayer capacitance at low doping density of tBLG using an interlayer screening model. The anomalous intensity quenching of both G peaks is ascribed to the suppression of resonant interband transitions between the two saddle points (van Hove singularities), that are displaced in the momentum space by gate-tuning. In addition, we observe a softening (hardening) of the R Raman band, a superlattice-induced phonon mode in tBLG, in electron (hole) doping. Our results demonstrate that gate modulation can be used to control the optoelectronic and vibrational properties in tBLG devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Observation of interlayer phonon modes in van der Waals heterostructures

We have investigated the vibrational properties of van der Waals heterostructures of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), specifically MoS2/WSe2 and MoSe2/MoS2 heterobilayers as well as twisted MoS2 bilayers, by means of ultralow-frequency Raman spectroscopy. We discovered Raman features (at 30 ~ 40 cm-1) that arise from the layer-breathing mode (LBM) vibrations between the two incommensurate TMD monolayers in these structures. The LBM Raman intensity correlates strongly with the suppression of photoluminescence that arises from interlayer charge transfer. The LBM is generated only in bilayer areas with direct layer-layer contact and atomically clean interface. Its frequency also evolves systematically with the relative orientation between of the two layers. Our research demonstrates that LBM can serve as a sensitive probe to the interface environment and interlayer interactions in van der Waals materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Temperature-activated layer-breathing vibrations in few-layer graphene

We investigated the low-frequency Raman spectra of freestanding few-layer graphene (FLG) at varying temperatures (400 - 900 K) controlled by laser heating. At high temperature, we observed the fundamental Raman mode for the lowest-frequency branch of rigid-plane layer-breathing mode (LBM) vibration. The mode frequency redshifts dramatically from 81 cm-1 for bilayer to 23 cm-1 for 8-layer. The thickness dependence is well described by a simple model of coupled oscillators. Notably, the LBM Raman response is unobservable at room temperature, and it is turned on at higher temperature (>600 K) with a steep increase of Raman intensity. The observation suggests that the LBM vibration is strongly suppressed by molecules adsorbed on the graphene surface, but is activated as desorption occurs at high temperature.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Stacking-dependent shear modes in trilayer graphene

We observed distinct interlayer shear mode Raman spectra for trilayer graphene with ABA and ABC stacking order. There are two rigid-plane shear-mode phonon branches in trilayer graphene. We found that ABA trilayers exhibit pronounced Raman response from the high-frequency shear branch, without any noticeable response from the low-frequency branch. In contrast, ABC trilayers exhibit no response from the high-frequency shear branch, but significant Raman response from the low-frequency branch. Such complementary behaviors of Raman shear modes can be explained by the distinct symmetry of the two trilayer allotropes. The strong stacking-order dependence was not found in the layer-breathing modes, and thus represents a unique characteristic of the shear modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Observation of Low Energy Raman Modes in Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Two new Raman modes below 100 cm^-1 are observed in twisted bilayer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition. The two modes are observed in a small range of twisting angle at which the intensity of the G Raman peak is strongly enhanced, indicating that these low energy modes and the G Raman mode share the same resonance enhancement mechanism, as a function of twisting angle. The 94 cm^-1 mode (measured with a 532 nm laser excitation) is assigned to the fundamental layer breathing vibration (ZO (prime) mode) mediated by the twisted bilayer graphene lattice, which lacks long-range translational symmetry. The dependence of this modes frequency and linewidth on the rotational angle can be explained by the double resonance Raman process which is different from the previously-identified Raman processes activated by twisted bilayer graphene superlattice. The dependence also reveals the strong impact of electronic-band overlaps of the two graphene layers. Another new mode at 52 cm^-1, not observed previously in the bilayer graphene system, is tentatively attributed to a torsion mode in which the bottom and top graphene layers rotate out-of-phase in the plane.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Metal-Insulator Transition in Variably Doped (Bi1-xSbx)2Se3 Nanosheets

Topological insulators are novel quantum materials with metallic surface transport, but insulating bulk behavior. Often, topological insulators are dominated by bulk contributions due to defect induced bulk carriers, making it difficult to isolate the more interesting surface transport characteristics. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of nanosheets of topological insulator Bi2Se3 with variable Sb-doping level to control the electron carrier density and surface transport behavior. (Bi1-xSbx)2Se3 thin films of thickness less than 10 nm are prepared by epitaxial growth on mica substrates in a vapor transport setup. The introduction of Sb in Bi2Se3 effectively suppresses the room temperature electron density from ~4 \times 10^13/cm^2 in pure Bi2Se3 (x = 0) to ~2 \times 10^12/cm^2 in (Bi1-xSbx)2Se3 at x ~0.15, while maintaining the metallic transport behavior. At x > ~0.20, a metal-insulator transition (MIT) is observed indicating that the system has transformed into an insulator in which the metallic surface conduction is blocked. In agreement with the observed MIT, Raman spectroscopy reveals the emergence of vibrational modes arising from Sb-Sb and Sb-Se bonds at high Sb concentrations, confirming the appearance of Sb2Se3 crystal structure in the sample. These results suggest that nanostructured chalcogenide films with controlled doping can be a tunable platform for fundamental studies and electronic applications of topological insulator systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Molecular beam growth of graphene nanocrystals on dielectric substrates

We demonstrate the growth of graphene nanocrystals by molecular beam methods that employ a solid carbon source, and that can be used on a diverse class of large area dielectric substrates. Characterization by Raman and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure spectroscopies reveal a sp2 hybridized hexagonal carbon lattice in the nanocrystals. Lower growth rates favor the formation of higher quality, larger size multi-layer graphene crystallites on all investigated substrates. The surface morphology is determined by the roughness of the underlying substrate and graphitic monolayer steps are observed by ambient scanning tunneling microscopy.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗