Strain-driven valley states and phase transitions in Janus VSiGeN4 monolayer

TL;DR

This paper predicts that Janus VSiGeN4 monolayer exhibits strain-tunable valley-polarized quantum anomalous Hall effects, with phase transitions driven by strain-induced band inversion, offering new opportunities for topological and valleytronic applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the first-principles prediction of strain-controlled topological phase transitions in Janus VSiGeN4, revealing rich valley and spin phenomena.

Findings

Valley-polarized quantum anomalous Hall effect in VSiGeN4

Strain induces phase transitions from QAH to half-valley-metal and ferrovalley semiconductor

Strain causes band inversion and sign reversal of Berry curvature

Abstract

The interplay between topology and valley degree of freedom has attracted much interest because it can realize new phenomena and applications. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we demonstrate intrinsically valley-polarized quantum anomalous Hall effect in monolayer ferrovalley material: Janus VSiGeN4, of which the edge states are chiral-spin-valley locking. Besides, a small tensile or compressive strain can drive phase transition in the material from valley-polarized quantum anomalous Hall state to half-valley-metal state. With the increase of the strain, the material turns into ferrovalley semiconductor with valley anomalous Hall effect. The origin of phase transition is sequent band inversion of V d orbital at K valley. Moreover, we find that phase transition causes the sign reversal of Berry curvature and induces different polarized light absorption in different valley states. Our work provides an ideal material platform for practical applications and experimental exploration of the interplay between topology, spintronics, and valleytronics.