Mission statement

The objective of this program is the optimization and opto-electrical characterization of two-dimensional semiconductor honeycomb lattices. We aim to prepare atomically coherent honeycomb structures of Pb-chalcogenides (atomic rock salt) and Cd- and Hg-chalcogenides (atomic zinc blende). Physically, we wish demonstrate Dirac–type band transport in these conventional and well-known semiconductors, arising from the honeycomb nanogeometry. The combination of Dirac-type bands and strong spin-orbit coupling also induces topological electronic phases, such as the quantum spin-Hall effect at the edges and non-trivial flat bands. The characterization of these topological phases is the final aim of this program.