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Topological band engineering of graphene nanoribbons

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel J. Rizzo

    (University of California)

  • Gregory Veber

    (University of California)

  • Ting Cao

    (University of California
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Christopher Bronner

    (University of California)

  • Ting Chen

    (University of California)

  • Fangzhou Zhao

    (University of California)

  • Henry Rodriguez

    (University of California)

  • Steven G. Louie

    (University of California
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Michael F. Crommie

    (University of California
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Felix R. Fischer

    (University of California
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Abstract

Topological insulators are an emerging class of materials that host highly robust in-gap surface or interface states while maintaining an insulating bulk1,2. Most advances in this field have focused on topological insulators and related topological crystalline insulators3 in two dimensions4–6 and three dimensions7–10, but more recent theoretical work has predicted the existence of one-dimensional symmetry-protected topological phases in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs)11. The topological phase of these laterally confined, semiconducting strips of graphene is determined by their width, edge shape and terminating crystallographic unit cell and is characterized by a $${{\mathbb{Z}}}_{2}$$ Z 2 invariant12 (that is, an index of either 0 or 1, indicating two topological classes—similar to quasi-one-dimensional solitonic systems13–16). Interfaces between topologically distinct GNRs characterized by different values of $${{\mathbb{Z}}}_{2}$$ Z 2 are predicted to support half-filled, in-gap localized electronic states that could, in principle, be used as a tool for material engineering11. Here we present the rational design and experimental realization of a topologically engineered GNR superlattice that hosts a one-dimensional array of such states, thus generating otherwise inaccessible electronic structures. This strategy also enables new end states to be engineered directly into the termini of the one-dimensional GNR superlattice. Atomically precise topological GNR superlattices were synthesized from molecular precursors on a gold surface, Au(111), under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions and characterized by low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy. Our experimental results and first-principles calculations reveal that the frontier band structure (the bands bracketing filled and empty states) of these GNR superlattices is defined purely by the coupling between adjacent topological interface states. This manifestation of non-trivial one-dimensional topological phases presents a route to band engineering in one-dimensional materials based on precise control of their electronic topology, and is a promising platform for studies of one-dimensional quantum spin physics.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel J. Rizzo & Gregory Veber & Ting Cao & Christopher Bronner & Ting Chen & Fangzhou Zhao & Henry Rodriguez & Steven G. Louie & Michael F. Crommie & Felix R. Fischer, 2018. "Topological band engineering of graphene nanoribbons," Nature, Nature, vol. 560(7717), pages 204-208, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:560:y:2018:i:7717:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0376-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0376-8
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tianyi Hu & Weiliang Zhong & Tingfeng Zhang & Weihua Wang & Z. F. Wang, 2023. "Identifying topological corner states in two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Ondrej Dyck & Jawaher Almutlaq & David Lingerfelt & Jacob L. Swett & Mark P. Oxley & Bevin Huang & Andrew R. Lupini & Dirk Englund & Stephen Jesse, 2023. "Direct imaging of electron density with a scanning transmission electron microscope," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Hiroshi Sakaguchi & Takahiro Kojima & Yingbo Cheng & Shunpei Nobusue & Kazuhiro Fukami, 2024. "Electrochemical on-surface synthesis of a strong electron-donating graphene nanoribbon catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Ignacio Piquero-Zulaica & Eduardo Corral-Rascón & Xabier Diaz de Cerio & Alexander Riss & Biao Yang & Aran Garcia-Lekue & Mohammad A. Kher-Elden & Zakaria M. Abd El-Fattah & Shunpei Nobusue & Takahiro, 2024. "Deceptive orbital confinement at edges and pores of carbon-based 1D and 2D nanoarchitectures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Srilok Srinivasan & Rohit Batra & Duan Luo & Troy Loeffler & Sukriti Manna & Henry Chan & Liuxiang Yang & Wenge Yang & Jianguo Wen & Pierre Darancet & Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan, 2022. "Machine learning the metastable phase diagram of covalently bonded carbon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. S. E. Ammerman & V. Jelic & Y. Wei & V. N. Breslin & M. Hassan & N. Everett & S. Lee & Q. Sun & C. A. Pignedoli & P. Ruffieux & R. Fasel & T. L. Cocker, 2021. "Lightwave-driven scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Zhiwang Zhang & Penglin Gao & Wenjie Liu & Zichong Yue & Ying Cheng & Xiaojun Liu & Johan Christensen, 2022. "Structured sonic tube with carbon nanotube-like topological edge states," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-6, December.
    8. Qingyang Du & Xuelei Su & Yufeng Liu & Yashi Jiang & Can Li & KaKing Yan & Ricardo Ortiz & Thomas Frederiksen & Shiyong Wang & Ping Yu, 2023. "Orbital-symmetry effects on magnetic exchange in open-shell nanographenes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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