Arts & Sciences Events
[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium "SPECIAL TIME"
Hadar Steinberg, Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, Title of Talk: Van-der-Waals integration of hybrid devices
Abstract: Progress in solid state physics is often tied to the emergence of material systems hosting new electronic properties. Specifically, the interface between different materials can yield new way to control the band-structures and interaction effects, giving rise to new potential functionalities. Particular recent interest is given to ?van der Waals materials?. Here, weak inter-layer bonds allow exfoliation into ultra-thin layers. Moreover, such materials can be vertically stacked with high precision, creating a range of new types of heterostructure. In my talk I will describe a number of experiments based on such van der Waals stacks. Specifically, I will discuss the interface between graphene, a single layer of carbon, and a topological insulator (TI), which is a material hosting protected states at its surface. At the graphene-TI interface, strong spin-orbit band-modifications are expected to take place, which makes it an attractive model system for probing proximity effects involving topological states. We show how parameters such as relative crystallographic orientation between the two materials strongly affect the physics of such devices.