Antiferromagnetic stripe phase and large-gap insulating ground state of the correlated $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) single atomic layer
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866911548106080256 |
|---|---|
| author | Torkzadeh, Mohammadmehdi Iannetti, Mattia Lizée, Mathieu Thakur, Amitayhush Hervé, Maris Debontridder, Francois David, Pascal Casula, Michele Profeta, Gianni Cren, Tristan Calandra, Matteo Tresca, Cesare Brun, Christophe |
| author_facet | Torkzadeh, Mohammadmehdi Iannetti, Mattia Lizée, Mathieu Thakur, Amitayhush Hervé, Maris Debontridder, Francois David, Pascal Casula, Michele Profeta, Gianni Cren, Tristan Calandra, Matteo Tresca, Cesare Brun, Christophe |
| contents | The one-third monolayer Sn layer on Si(111) has long been considered a benchmark system for exploring two-dimensional Mott physics, owing to its narrow bandwidth and sizable on-site Coulomb repulsion. Previous experiments suggested the emergence of a low-temperature Mott insulating phase with an energy gap of only a few tens of meV, while theory predicted a possible antiferromagnetic ordering that remained experimentally elusive. Here, by combining low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy with first-principles calculations, we reveal that the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) surface undergoes a transition below 30K into a robust insulating state characterized by a remarkably large gap of about 440 $\pm$ 120 meV at 4K, five to ten times larger than previously reported. Quasiparticle interference imaging uncovers a well-defined $2\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) superstructure, providing direct evidence for a two-dimensional stripe-like antiferromagnetic order. Ab initio calculations reveal that the silicon substrate stabilizes this phase through strong nonlocal tin-tin interactions, highlighting the decisive role of substrate-driven correlations in the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) system. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_26304 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Antiferromagnetic stripe phase and large-gap insulating ground state of the correlated $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) single atomic layer Torkzadeh, Mohammadmehdi Iannetti, Mattia Lizée, Mathieu Thakur, Amitayhush Hervé, Maris Debontridder, Francois David, Pascal Casula, Michele Profeta, Gianni Cren, Tristan Calandra, Matteo Tresca, Cesare Brun, Christophe Strongly Correlated Electrons The one-third monolayer Sn layer on Si(111) has long been considered a benchmark system for exploring two-dimensional Mott physics, owing to its narrow bandwidth and sizable on-site Coulomb repulsion. Previous experiments suggested the emergence of a low-temperature Mott insulating phase with an energy gap of only a few tens of meV, while theory predicted a possible antiferromagnetic ordering that remained experimentally elusive. Here, by combining low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy with first-principles calculations, we reveal that the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) surface undergoes a transition below 30K into a robust insulating state characterized by a remarkably large gap of about 440 $\pm$ 120 meV at 4K, five to ten times larger than previously reported. Quasiparticle interference imaging uncovers a well-defined $2\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) superstructure, providing direct evidence for a two-dimensional stripe-like antiferromagnetic order. Ab initio calculations reveal that the silicon substrate stabilizes this phase through strong nonlocal tin-tin interactions, highlighting the decisive role of substrate-driven correlations in the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) system. |
| title | Antiferromagnetic stripe phase and large-gap insulating ground state of the correlated $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$~R30$^{\circ}$-Sn/Si(111) single atomic layer |
| topic | Strongly Correlated Electrons |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.26304 |