A.N. Mihalyuk

Synthesis of two-dimensional Tl x Bi 1− x compounds and Archimedean encoding of their atomic structure

Crystalline atomic layers on solid surfaces are composed of a single building block, unit cell, that is copied and stacked together to form the entire two-dimensional crystal structure. However, it appears that this is not an unique possibility. We report here on synthesis and characterization of the one-atomic-layer-thick TlxBi1−x compounds which display quite a different arrangement. It represents a quasi-periodic tiling structures that are built by a set of tiling elements as building blocks. Though the layer is lacking strict periodicity, it shows up as an ideally-packed tiling of basic elements without any skips or halting. The two-dimensional TlxBi1−x compounds were formed by depositing Bi onto the Tl-covered Si(111) surface where Bi atoms substitute appropriate amount of Tl atoms. Atomic structure of each tiling element as well as arrangement of TlxBi1−x compounds were established in a detail. Electronic properties and spin texture of the selected compounds having periodic structures were characterized. The shown example demonstrates possibility for the formation of the exotic low-dimensional materials via unusual growth mechanisms.

Two-Dimensional In–Sb Compound on Silicon as a Quantum Spin Hall Insulator

Two-dimensional (2D) topological insulator is a promising quantum phase for achieving dissipationless transport due to the robustness of the gapless edge states resided in the insulating gap providing realization of the quantum spin Hall effect. Searching for two-dimensional realistic materials that are able to provide the quantum spin Hall effect and possessing the feasibility of their experimental preparation is a growing field. Here we report on the two-dimensional (In, Sb)2[Formula: see text]2[Formula: see text] compound synthesized on Si(111) substrate and its comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigations based on an atomic-scale characterization by using scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy as well as ab initio density functional theory calculations identifying the synthesized 2D compound as a suitable system for realization of the quantum spin Hall effect without additional functionalization like chemical adsorption, applying strain, or gating.

2D Tl–Pb compounds on Ge(1 1 1) surface: atomic arrangement and electronic band structure

Structural transformations and evolution of the electron band structure in the (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1) system have been studied using low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The two 2D Tl-Pb compounds on Ge(1 1 1), [Formula: see text]-(Tl, Pb) and [Formula: see text]-(Tl, Pb), have been found and their composition, atomic arrangement and electron properties has been characterized. The (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1)[Formula: see text] compound is almost identical to the alike (Tl, Pb)/Si(1 1 1)[Formula: see text] system from the viewpoint of its atomic structure and electronic properties. They contain 1.0 ML of Tl atoms arranged into a honeycomb network of chained trimers and 1/3 ML of Pb atoms occupying the centers of the honeycomb units. The (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1)[Formula: see text] compound contains six Tl atoms and seven Pb atoms per [Formula: see text] unit cell (i.e.  ∼0.67 ML Tl and  ∼0.78 ML Pb). Its atomic structure can be visualized as consisting of Pb hexagons surrounded by Tl trimers. The (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1)[Formula: see text] and (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1)[Formula: see text] compounds are metallic and their band structures contain spin-split surface-state bands. By analogy with the (Tl, Pb)/Si(1 1 1)[Formula: see text], these (Tl, Pb)/Ge(1 1 1) compounds are believed to be promising objects for prospective studies of superconductivity in one-atom-layer systems.