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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.07351 |
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| _version_ | 1866911100687089664 |
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| author | Huang, Xiaochun Zhao, Lingxiao Xiong, Rui Li, Wenbin Wang, Bao-tian Sa, Baisheng Bode, Matthias |
| author_facet | Huang, Xiaochun Zhao, Lingxiao Xiong, Rui Li, Wenbin Wang, Bao-tian Sa, Baisheng Bode, Matthias |
| contents | The free-standing monolayer Si$_2$Te$_2$ (ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$) has been theoretically predicted to host a room-temperature quantum spin Hall phase. However, its experimental realization remains challenge due to the absence of a three-dimensional counterpart. Here, we demonstrate that HfTe$_2$ serves as an ideal substrate for the epitaxial growth of ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$, preserving its topological phase. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy confirm a strain-free ${(1 \times 1)}$ lattice of ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$, along with a sizable band gap, which is well captured by first-principles calculations. Moreover, distinct edge states, independent of step geometry and exhibiting a broad spatial distribution, are observed at ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$ step edges, underscoring its topological nature. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_07351 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Experimental Realization of the Topologically Nontrivial Phase in Monolayer Si$_2$Te$_2$ Huang, Xiaochun Zhao, Lingxiao Xiong, Rui Li, Wenbin Wang, Bao-tian Sa, Baisheng Bode, Matthias Materials Science The free-standing monolayer Si$_2$Te$_2$ (ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$) has been theoretically predicted to host a room-temperature quantum spin Hall phase. However, its experimental realization remains challenge due to the absence of a three-dimensional counterpart. Here, we demonstrate that HfTe$_2$ serves as an ideal substrate for the epitaxial growth of ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$, preserving its topological phase. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy confirm a strain-free ${(1 \times 1)}$ lattice of ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$, along with a sizable band gap, which is well captured by first-principles calculations. Moreover, distinct edge states, independent of step geometry and exhibiting a broad spatial distribution, are observed at ML-Si$_2$Te$_2$ step edges, underscoring its topological nature. |
| title | Experimental Realization of the Topologically Nontrivial Phase in Monolayer Si$_2$Te$_2$ |
| topic | Materials Science |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.07351 |