Guangtong Liu

Aqueous‐Processable Noncovalent Chemically Converted Graphene–Quantum Dot Composites for Flexible and Transparent Optoelectronic Films

The preparation and optoelectronic response of flexible composites via non-covalent coupling of quantum dots to chemically converted graphene is presented. The photoincluced charge transfer is confirmed by photoconductivity measurements and the photosensitivity is improved with increasing loadings of quantum dots. This opens up a new effective route to form composites for future large-area flexible and transparent optoelectronic devices.

Highly Dense and Perfectly Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Fabricated by Diamond Wire Drawing Dies

We have developed a low-cost and effective method to align single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using a series of diamond wire drawing dies. The obtained SWNTs are highly dense and perfectly aligned. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates that the highly dense and perfectly aligned SWNTs (HDPA-SWNTs) form a two-dimensional triangular lattice with a lattice constant of 19.62 A. We observe a sharp (002) reflection in the XRD pattern, which should be ascribed to an intertube spacing 3.39 A of adjacent SWNTs. Raman spectra reveal that the radical breath mode (RBM) of SWNTs with larger diameter in the HDPA-SWNTs is suppressed compared with that of as-grown SWNTs. The HDPA-SWNTs have a large density, approximately 1.09 g/cm 3, and a low resistivity, approximately 2 m Omega cm, at room temperature, as well as a large response to light illumination.

Strong Superconducting Proximity Effect in Pb-Bi 2 Te 3 Hybrid Structures

To study the interface between a conventional superconductor and a topological insulator, we fabricated Pb-Bi2Te3-Pb lateral and sandwiched junctions, and performed electron transport measurements down to low temperatures. The results show that there is a strong superconducting proximity effect between Bi2Te3 and Pb, as that a supercurrent can be established along the thickness direction of the Bi2Te3 flakes (100~300 nm thick) at a temperature very close to the superconducting Tc of Pb. Moreover, a Josephson current can be established over several microns in the lateral direction between two Pb electrodes on the Bi2Te3 surface. We have further demonstrated that superconducting quantum interference devices can be constructed based on the proximity-effect-induced superconductivity. The critical current of the devices exhibits s-wave-like interference and Fraunhofer diffraction patterns. With improved designs, Josephson devices of this type would provide a test-bed for exploring novel phenomena such as Majorana fermions in the future.

Large-Area and High-Quality 2D Transition Metal Telluride

Large-area and high-quality 2D transition metal tellurides are synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition method. The as-grown WTe2 maintains two different stacking sequences in the bilayer, where the atomic structure of the stacking boundary is revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. The low-temperature transport measurements reveal a novel semimetal-to-insulator transition in WTe2 layers and an enhanced superconductivity in few-layer MoTe2 .

Proximity effect at superconducting Sn-Bi2Se3 interface

We have investigated the conductance spectra of Sn-Bi2Se3 interface junctions down to 250mK and in different magnetic fields. A number of conductance anomalies were observed below the superconducting transition temperature of Sn, including a small gap that is different from that of Sn, and a zero-bias conductance peak that increases at lower temperatures. We discussed the possible origins of the smaller gap and the zero-bias conductance peak. These phenomena support the idea that a proximity-effect-induced chiral superconducting phase is formed at the interface between the superconducting Sn and the strong spin-orbit coupling material Bi2Se3.

High-quality monolayer superconductor NbSe 2 grown by chemical vapour deposition

The discovery of monolayer superconductors bears consequences for both fundamental physics and device applications. Currently, the growth of superconducting monolayers can only occur under ultrahigh vacuum and on specific lattice-matched or dangling bond-free substrates, to minimize environment- and substrate-induced disorders/defects. Such severe growth requirements limit the exploration of novel two-dimensional superconductivity and related nanodevices. Here we demonstrate the experimental realization of superconductivity in a chemical vapour deposition grown monolayer material—NbSe2. Atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope imaging reveals the atomic structure of the intrinsic point defects and grain boundaries in monolayer NbSe2, and confirms the low defect concentration in our high-quality film, which is the key to two-dimensional superconductivity. By using monolayer chemical vapour deposited graphene as a protective capping layer, thickness-dependent superconducting properties are observed in as-grown NbSe2 with a transition temperature increasing from 1.0 K in monolayer to 4.56 K in 10-layer.Two-dimensional superconductors will likely have applications not only in devices, but also in the study of fundamental physics. Here, Wang et al. demonstrate the CVD growth of superconducting NbSe2 on a variety of substrates, making these novel materials increasingly accessible.

Coulomb explosion: a novel approach to separate single-walled carbon nanotubes from their bundle.

A novel approach based on Coulomb explosion has been developed to separate single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from their bundle. With this technique, we can readily separate a bundle of SWNTs into smaller bundles with uniform diameter as well as some individual SWNTs. The separated SWNTs have a typical length of several microns and form a nanotree at one end of the original bundle. More importantly, this separating procedure involves no surfactant and includes only one-step physical process. The separation method offers great conveniences for the subsequent individual SWNT or multiterminal SWNTs device fabrication and their physical properties studies.

Large photocurrent generated by a camera flash in single-walled carbon nanotubes

The photocurrent generated in single-walled carbon nanotube bundles upon camera flash illumination has been studied under different ambient pressures and light intensities. The results show that the intensity of photocurrent depends closely on the ambient pressure and light intensity. With the ambient pressure reduced, the photocurrent exhibits a logarithmic growth behaviour. Meanwhile, the photocurrent increases with the increase in light intensity. In this work, a dynamic model is employed to unveil the origins of the observed photocurrent. A much smaller lifetime of photocarriers (~10?ms) is observed than that needed for gas molecular desorption or photodesorption (seconds or longer). Our results are consistent with the model of Schottky barriers being responsible for photocurrent generation.

Spatially resolved gap closing in single Josephson junctions constructed on Bi2Te3 surface

On the road of searching for Majorana fermions in condensed matter systems, a highly-sought signature is full gap-closing, as a condition for hosting the Majorana zero modes, in Josephson devices constructed on the surface of topological insulators. In this Letter, we present direct experimental evidence of gap-closing in single Josephson junctions constructed on Bi

Anomalous magnetic moments as evidence of chiral superconductivity in a Bi/Ni bilayer

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