The discovery of graphene opened a new era for basic and applied research of quantum materials. Among the hundreds of monolayer compounds that have been isolated since, the most promising may be the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which exhibit interesting properties such as the valley degrees of freedom and tunable direct bandgaps. Beyond applications, TMDs also offer a tantalizing platform to understand and manipulate novel quantum collective phenomena, due to the large spin-orbit coupling and the absence of crystal inversion symmetry of mono- and few-layer compounds.
While most efforts have focused on the 2D and 3D limits, there remain intriguing questions about the physics of TMDs in-between. The aim of our research is to bridge the 3D and 2D regimes, via systematic theoretical and experimental investigations of encapsulated few-layer TMDs. Particular focus will be given to the investigation of the interplay between characteristic 3D properties, such as superconductivity and charge-density waves, and the unique spin-orbit-coupling and topological properties that make monolayers attractive.
Funded by the National Science Foundation through the University of Minnesota MRSEC under Award Number DMR-1420013
UMN MRSEC
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