Supported and Free-Standing 2D Semimetals

Abstract : Two-dimensional (2D) crystalline atomic sheets are currently a topic of widespread investigation. They are a platform to investigate new paradigms in material science, solid-state physics, and field-effect phenomena that can enable future generations of energy, computation, and sensor technologies. This report summarizes the results of this effort on focusing on rare-earth arsenides (RE-A), although not a van der Waals 2D solid, nonetheless, exhibits substantial 2D quantum size effects. In addition, unlike van der Waals 2D solids, the RE-A can be synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on standard III-V substrates, and the presence of dangling bond surfaces can provide a degree of freedom to further control material properties.