Unconventional correlated insulator in CrOCl-interfaced Bernal bilayer graphene
Kaining Yang, Xiang Gao, Yaning Wang, Tongyao Zhang, Yuchen Gao, Xin Lü, Shihao Zhang, Jianpeng Liu, Pingfan Gu, Zhaoping Luo, Runjie Zheng, Shimin Cao, Hanwen Wang, Xingdan Sun, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Xiuyan Li, Jing Zhang, Xi Dai, Jianhao Chen, Yu Ye, Zheng Han
Abstract
Abstract The realization of graphene gapped states with large on/off ratios over wide doping ranges remains challenging. Here, we investigate heterostructures based on Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene (BLG) atop few-layered CrOCl, exhibiting an over-1-GΩ-resistance insulating state in a widely accessible gate voltage range. The insulating state could be switched into a metallic state with an on/off ratio up to 10 7 by applying an in-plane electric field, heating, or gating. We tentatively associate the observed behavior to the formation of a surface state in CrOCl under vertical electric fields, promoting electron–electron (e–e) interactions in BLG via long-range Coulomb coupling. Consequently, at the charge neutrality point, a crossover from single particle insulating behavior to an unconventional correlated insulator is enabled, below an onset temperature. We demonstrate the application of the insulating state for the realization of a logic inverter operating at low temperatures. Our findings pave the way for future engineering of quantum electronic states based on interfacial charge coupling.