Polar domains and domain walls in MoTe2 with Weyl semimetallic and trivial semimetallic phases

ORAL

Abstract

Quantum materials with non-trivial electronic topologies are one of the most active fields of current condensed matter research. Among them, Weyl semimetal (WSM) behavior can be realized quite generally in a semimetallic crystal with large spin-orbit coupling by breaking either time-reversal or space inversion symmetry. Interestingly, those known WSMs through the space inversion breaking mechanism often crystallize in polar structures, and thus they are polar WSMs. The question that naturally arises is the possible existence of polar domains and domain walls (DWs), which is particularly important because the Weyl points and the surface Fermi-arcs can depend on the domain reorientation and accompany with intriguing properties. Here, we focus on the type-II WSM MoTe2, which has recently drawn an immense attention due to its phase tunability and unique physical properties. Utilizing in-situ cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, we unveil intriguing polar domain structures in MoTe2. We also discover unexpected domain kinetics under electron beams. Using spatially resolved tunneling spectroscopy, we observe distinct electronic responses of those domains and DWs. These findings are a key step toward engineering the Weyl-node-pair-related physical properties in such polar WSMs.

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Presenters

  • Fei-Ting Huang

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

Authors

  • Fei-Ting Huang

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

  • Seong Joon Lim

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

  • Sobhit Singh

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

  • Jinwoong Kim

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ-08854, USA, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

  • Lunyong zhang

    Laboratory for Pohang Emergent Materials and Max Plank POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Materials, Pohang University of Science and Technology

  • Jae-Wook Kim

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey

  • David Vanderbilt

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ-08854, USA, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, Rutgers University, USA, Rutgers Univ, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA

  • Sang-Wook Cheong

    Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers University, Center for Quantum Materials Synthesis and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA, Physics, Rutgers University, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, Rutgers University, Physics and Astronomy, and Laboratory for Pohang Emergent Materials and Max Plank POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Materials, Pohang University of Science, RCEM, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers U., Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials