Klaassen Dennis J, Boutis Ilias, Castenmiller Carolien, Bampoulis Pantelis
Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217 7500AE Enschede The Netherlands
J Mater Chem C Mater. 2024 Aug 27;12(39):15975-15980. doi: 10.1039/d4tc02367f. eCollection 2024 Oct 10.
Germanene is a two-dimensional topological insulator with a large topological band gap. For its use in low-energy electronics, such as topological field effect transistors and interconnects, it is essential that its topological edge states remain intact at room temperature. In this study, we examine these properties in germanene using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy at 300 K and compare the results with data obtained at 77 K. Our findings show that the edge states persist at room temperature, although thermal effects cause smearing of the bulk band gap. Additionally, we demonstrate that, even at room temperature, applying an external perpendicular electric field switches the topological states of germanene off. These findings indicate that germanene's topological properties can be maintained and controlled at room temperature, making it a promising material for low-energy electronic applications.
锗烯是一种具有大拓扑带隙的二维拓扑绝缘体。对于其在低能耗电子学中的应用，例如拓扑场效应晶体管和互连，至关重要的是其拓扑边缘态在室温下保持完整。在本研究中，我们在300 K下使用扫描隧道显微镜和光谱学研究锗烯的这些特性，并将结果与在77 K下获得的数据进行比较。我们的研究结果表明，尽管热效应导致体态带隙模糊，但边缘态在室温下仍然存在。此外，我们证明，即使在室温下，施加外部垂直电场也会使锗烯的拓扑态关闭。这些发现表明，锗烯的拓扑特性在室温下可以得到维持和控制，使其成为低能耗电子应用的有前途的材料。
