Atomic-scale visualization of chiral charge density wave superlattices and their reversible switching
Xuan Song, Liwei Liu, Yaoyao Chen, Han Yang, Zeping Huang, Baofei Hou, Yanhui Hou, Xu Han, Huixia Yang, Quanzhen Zhang, Teng Zhang, Jiadong Zhou, Yuan Huang, Yu Zhang, Hong-Jun Gao, Yeliang Wang
Abstract
Abstract Chirality is essential for various phenomena in life and matter. However, chirality and its switching in electronic superlattices, such as charge density wave (CDW) superlattices, remain elusive. In this study, we characterize the chirality switching with atom-resolution imaging in a single-layer NbSe 2 CDW superlattice by the technique of scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomic arrangement of the CDW superlattice is found continuous and intact although its chirality is switched. Several intermediate states are tracked by time-resolved imaging, revealing the fast and dynamic chirality transition. Importantly, the switching is reversibly realized with an external electric field. Our findings unveil the delicate switching process of chiral CDW superlattice in a two-dimensional (2D) crystal down to the atomic scale.