Atomic-scale observation of structural and electronic orders in the layered compound α-RuCl3

M. Ziatdinov; A. Banerjee; A. Maksov; T. Berlijn; W. Zhou; H. B. Cao; J. Q. Yan; C. A. Bridges; D. G. Mandrus; S. E. Nagler; A. P. Baddorf; S. V. Kalinin

doi:10.1038/ncomms13774

Atomic-scale observation of structural and electronic orders in the layered compound α-RuCl₃

M. Ziatdinov, A. Banerjee, A. Maksov, T. Berlijn, W. Zhou, H. B. Cao, J. Q. Yan, C. A. Bridges, D. G. Mandrus, S. E. Nagler, A. P. Baddorf, S. V. Kalinin

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

A pseudospin-1/2 Mott phase on a honeycomb lattice is proposed to host the celebrated two-dimensional Kitaev model which has an elusive quantum spin liquid ground state, and fascinating physics relevant to the development of future templates towards topological quantum bits. Here we report a comprehensive, atomically resolved real-space study by scanning transmission electron and scanning tunnelling microscopies on a novel layered material displaying Kitaev physics, andalpha;-RuCl 3. Our local crystallography analysis reveals considerable variations in the geometry of the ligand sublattice in thin films of andalpha;-RuCl₃ that opens a way to realization of a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic ground state at the nanometre length scale. Using scanning tunnelling techniques, we observe the electronic energy gap of andcirc;0.25 eV and intra-unit cell symmetry breaking of charge distribution in individual andalpha;-RuCl₃ surface layer. The corresponding charge-ordered pattern has a fine structure associated with two different types of charge disproportionation at Cl-terminated surface.

Original language	English
Article number	13774
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13774
State	Published - Dec 12 2016

Access to Document

10.1038/ncomms13774

Cite this

@article{26ede22925564b038c7d7969da78742b,

title = "Atomic-scale observation of structural and electronic orders in the layered compound α-RuCl3",

abstract = "A pseudospin-1/2 Mott phase on a honeycomb lattice is proposed to host the celebrated two-dimensional Kitaev model which has an elusive quantum spin liquid ground state, and fascinating physics relevant to the development of future templates towards topological quantum bits. Here we report a comprehensive, atomically resolved real-space study by scanning transmission electron and scanning tunnelling microscopies on a novel layered material displaying Kitaev physics, andalpha;-RuCl 3. Our local crystallography analysis reveals considerable variations in the geometry of the ligand sublattice in thin films of andalpha;-RuCl3 that opens a way to realization of a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic ground state at the nanometre length scale. Using scanning tunnelling techniques, we observe the electronic energy gap of andcirc;0.25 eV and intra-unit cell symmetry breaking of charge distribution in individual andalpha;-RuCl3 surface layer. The corresponding charge-ordered pattern has a fine structure associated with two different types of charge disproportionation at Cl-terminated surface.",

author = "M. Ziatdinov and A. Banerjee and A. Maksov and T. Berlijn and W. Zhou and Cao, {H. B.} and Yan, {J. Q.} and Bridges, {C. A.} and Mandrus, {D. G.} and Nagler, {S. E.} and Baddorf, {A. P.} and Kalinin, {S. V.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 The Author(s).",

year = "2016",

month = dec,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms13774",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Atomic-scale observation of structural and electronic orders in the layered compound α-RuCl3

AU - Ziatdinov, M.

AU - Banerjee, A.

AU - Maksov, A.

AU - Berlijn, T.

AU - Zhou, W.

AU - Cao, H. B.

AU - Yan, J. Q.

AU - Bridges, C. A.

AU - Mandrus, D. G.

AU - Nagler, S. E.

AU - Baddorf, A. P.

AU - Kalinin, S. V.

PY - 2016/12/12

Y1 - 2016/12/12

N2 - A pseudospin-1/2 Mott phase on a honeycomb lattice is proposed to host the celebrated two-dimensional Kitaev model which has an elusive quantum spin liquid ground state, and fascinating physics relevant to the development of future templates towards topological quantum bits. Here we report a comprehensive, atomically resolved real-space study by scanning transmission electron and scanning tunnelling microscopies on a novel layered material displaying Kitaev physics, andalpha;-RuCl 3. Our local crystallography analysis reveals considerable variations in the geometry of the ligand sublattice in thin films of andalpha;-RuCl3 that opens a way to realization of a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic ground state at the nanometre length scale. Using scanning tunnelling techniques, we observe the electronic energy gap of andcirc;0.25 eV and intra-unit cell symmetry breaking of charge distribution in individual andalpha;-RuCl3 surface layer. The corresponding charge-ordered pattern has a fine structure associated with two different types of charge disproportionation at Cl-terminated surface.

AB - A pseudospin-1/2 Mott phase on a honeycomb lattice is proposed to host the celebrated two-dimensional Kitaev model which has an elusive quantum spin liquid ground state, and fascinating physics relevant to the development of future templates towards topological quantum bits. Here we report a comprehensive, atomically resolved real-space study by scanning transmission electron and scanning tunnelling microscopies on a novel layered material displaying Kitaev physics, andalpha;-RuCl 3. Our local crystallography analysis reveals considerable variations in the geometry of the ligand sublattice in thin films of andalpha;-RuCl3 that opens a way to realization of a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic ground state at the nanometre length scale. Using scanning tunnelling techniques, we observe the electronic energy gap of andcirc;0.25 eV and intra-unit cell symmetry breaking of charge distribution in individual andalpha;-RuCl3 surface layer. The corresponding charge-ordered pattern has a fine structure associated with two different types of charge disproportionation at Cl-terminated surface.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85005950966&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms13774

DO - 10.1038/ncomms13774

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85005950966

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 13774

ER -

Atomic-scale observation of structural and electronic orders in the layered compound α-RuCl₃

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this