2025/06/09 by Tilgner, Niclas, Mamiyev, Zamin, Wolff, Susanne +4 · 1 citation
#FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2506.07545
Intercalation has proven to be a powerful tool for tailoring the electronic properties of freestanding graphene layers as well as for stabilizing the intercalated material in a two-dimensional configuration. This work examines Si intercalation of epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) using three preparation methods. Dangling bond states at the interface were found to undergo a Mott-Hubbard metal-insulator transition as a result of a significant on-site repulsion. Comparing this heterostructure consisting of graphene and a Mott insulator with a similar system without graphene, reveals the screening ability of graphene's conduction electrons on the on-site repulsion. The system presented here can serve as a template for further research on Mott insulators with variable band gap.