Dualistic insulator states in 1T-TaS 2 crystals.

Authors :: Wang Y
Li Z
Luo X
Gao J
Han Y
Jiang J
Tang J
Ju H
Li T
Lv R
Cui S
Yang Y
Sun Y
Zhu J
Gao X
Lu W
Sun Z
Xu H
Xiong Y
Cao L
Source :: Nature communications [Nat Commun] 2024 Apr 23; Vol. 15 (1), pp. 3425. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 23.
Publication Year :: 2024
Abstract: While the monolayer sheet is well-established as a Mott-insulator with a finite energy gap, the insulating nature of bulk 1T-TaS <subscript>2</subscript> crystals remains ambiguous due to their varying dimensionalities and alterable interlayer coupling. In this study, we present a unique approach to unlock the intertwined two-dimensional Mott-insulator and three-dimensional band-insulator states in bulk 1T-TaS <subscript>2</subscript> crystals by structuring a laddering stack along the out-of-plane direction. Through modulating the interlayer coupling, the insulating nature can be switched between band-insulator and Mott-insulator mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate the duality of insulating nature in 1T-TaS <subscript>2</subscript> crystals. By manipulating the translational degree of freedom in layered crystals, our discovery presents a promising strategy for exploring fascinating physics, independent of their dimensionality, thereby offering a "three-dimensional" control for the era of slidetronics.<br /> (© 2024. The Author(s).)