Stacking-Selective Epitaxy of Rare-Earth Diantimonides

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates in-situ control of stacking configurations in rare-earth diantimonide thin films, revealing a crossover between monoclinic and orthorhombic structures influenced by synthesis parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control and explore competing stacking configurations in layered quantum materials during synthesis.

Findings

Crossover between monoclinic and orthorhombic structures achieved.

Growth parameters like cation/anion ratio and temperature influence stacking.

Magnetotransport studies reveal distinct phase properties.

Abstract

Deterministic control of the layering configuration of two-dimensional quantum materials plays a central role in studying their emergent electronic properties. Here we demonstrate in-situ control over competing stacking configurations in thin film crystals of the rare-earth diantimonides by synthesizing in proximity to competing structural orders. A crossover between the epitaxially stabilized monoclinic structure and the orthorhombic structure commonly observed in bulk crystals is navigated through three axes; the relative cation/anion ratio, growth temperature, and choice of lanthanide ion, culminating with a comparative magnetotransport study of single-yet-distinct phase CeSb2 films. These results set the stage for an expanded search for hidden stacking configurations in layered compounds which have evaded detection.