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Synthesis of 2-D semiconductors with honeycomb nanogeometry, and study of their Dirac-type band structure and opto-electronic properties

Objective

Graphene redirected the pathways of solid-state physics with a revival of 2-D materials showing Dirac
physics due to their honeycomb geometry. The charge carriers are fundamentally different from those
in conventional electronic systems: the energy vs. wave vector relationship is linear instead of
quadratic, resulting in Dirac bands with massless carriers. A genuinely new class of materials will
emerge provided that classic semiconductor compounds can be molded in the nanoscale honeycomb
geometry: The Dirac-type band structure is then combined with the beneficial properties of
semiconductors, e.g. a band gap, optical and electrical switching, and strong spin-orbit coupling. The
PI recently prepared atomically coherent 2-D PbSe and CdSe semiconductors by nanocrystal assembly
and epitaxial attachment. Moreover, he showed theoretically that these systems combine a
semiconductor gap with Dirac-type valence and conduction bands, while the strong spin-orbit
coupling results in the quantum spin Hall effect. The ERC advanced grant will allow him to develop a
robust bottom-up synthesis platform for 2-D metal-chalcogenide semiconductor compounds with
honeycomb nanoscale geometry. The PI will study their band structure and opto-electronic properties
using several types of scanning tunnelling micro-spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy. The Fermilevel
will be controlled with an electrolyte-gated transistor in order to measure the carrier transport
properties. The results will be compared directly with those obtained on the same 2-D semiconductors
without honeycomb geometry, hence showing the conventional band structure. This should
unambiguously reveal the Dirac features of honeycomb semiconductors: valence band and conduction
band Dirac cones, non-trivial band openings at the K-points that may host the quantum spin Hall
effect, and non-trivial flat bands. 2-D semiconductors with massless holes and electrons open new
opportunities in opto-electronic devices and spintronics.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2015-AdG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 500 000,00
Address
HEIDELBERGLAAN 8
3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 500 000,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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