Artificial relativistic molecules

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Jae Whan Park - , Institute for Basic Science (Author)
  • Hyo Sung Kim - , Institute for Basic Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology (Author)
  • Thomas Brumme - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Thomas Heine - , Chair of Theoretical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Author)
  • Han Woong Yeom - , Institute for Basic Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology (Author)

Abstract

We fabricate artificial molecules composed of heavy atom lead on a van der Waals crystal. Pb atoms templated on a honeycomb charge-order superstructure of IrTe2 form clusters ranging from dimers to heptamers including benzene-shaped ring hexamers. Tunneling spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations reveal the formation of unusual relativistic molecular orbitals within the clusters. The spin–orbit coupling is essential both in forming such Dirac electronic states and stabilizing the artificial molecules by reducing the adatom–substrate interaction. Lead atoms are found to be ideally suited for a maximized relativistic effect. This work initiates the use of novel two-dimensional orderings to guide the fabrication of artificial molecules of unprecedented properties.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number815
JournalNature communications
Volume11
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 32041955