The layer interdependence of transport in an undoped electron-hole bilayer (uEHBL) device was studied as a function of carrier density, interlayer electric field, and temperature. The uEHBL device consisted of a density tunable, independently contacted two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) induced via field effect in distinct GaAs quantum wells separated by a 30 nm Al$_{0.9}$Ga$_{0.1}$As barrier. Transport measurements were made simultaneously on each layer using the van der Pauw method. An increase in 2DHG mobility with increasing 2DEG density was observed, while the 2DEG mobility showed negligible dependence on the 2DHG density. Decreasing the interlayer electric-field and thereby increasing interlayer separation also increased the 2DHG mobility with negligible effects on the 2DEG mobility. The change in interlayer separation as interlayer electric-field changed was estimated using 2DHG Coulomb drag measurements. The results were consistent with mobility of each layer being only indirectly dependent on the adjacent layer density and dominated by background impurity scattering. Temperature dependencies were also determined for the resistivity of each layer.
We investigate transport and Coulomb drag properties of semiconductor-based electron-hole bilayer systems. Our calculations are motivated by recent experiments in undoped electron-hole bilayer structures based on GaAs-AlGaAs gated double quantum well systems. Our results indicate that the background charged impurity scattering is the most dominant resistive scattering mechanism in the high-mobility bilyers. We also find that the drag transresistivity is significantly enhanced when the electron-hole layer separation is small due to the exchange induced renormalization of the single layer compre…
We present the fabrication details of completely undoped electron-hole bilayer devices in a GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum well heterostructure with a 30 nm barrier. These devices have independently tunable densities of the two-dimensional electron gas and two-dimensional hole gas. We report four-terminal transport measurements of the independently contacted electron and hole layers with balanced densities from $1.2 \times 10^{11}$cm$^{-2}$ down to $4 \times 10^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$ at $T = 300 mK$. The mobilities can exceed $1 \times 10^{6}$ cm$^{2}$ V$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ for electrons and $4 \times 10^{5}…
We study the collective modes of the quantum Hall states in undoped bilayer graphene in a strong perpendicular magnetic and electric field. Both for the well-known ferromagnetic state that is relevant for small electric field $E_\perp$ and the analogous valley/layer polarized one suitable for large $E_\perp$, the low energy physics is dominated by magnetoexcitons with zero angular momentum that are even combinations of excitons that conserve Landau orbitals. We identify a long wave length instability in both states, and argue that there is an intermediate range of the electric field $E^{(1)}_\…
Electron interactions in undoped bilayer graphene lead to instability of the gapless state, `which-layer' symmetry breaking, and energy gap opening at the Dirac point. In contrast to single layer graphene, the bilayer system exhibits instability even for arbitrarily weak interaction. A controlled theory of this instability for realistic dynamically screened Coulomb interactions is developed, with full acount of dynamically generated ultraviolet cutoff. This leads to an energy gap that scales as a power law of the interaction strength, making the excitonic instability readily observable.
We calculate the density-density response function and electron self-energy for undoped bilayer graphene, within the Random Phase Approximation (RPA). We show that the quasiparticle decay rate scales linearly with the quasiparticle energy, and quasiparticle weight vanishes logarithmically in the low-energy limit, indicating non-Fermi liquid behavior. This is a consequence of the absence of a Fermi surface for neutral bilayer graphene and corresponding larger phase space available for scattering processes. Experimental consequences of our results as well as their differences from those of singl…
Performing a leading-order renormalization group analysis, here we compute the effects of generic local or short-range electronic interactions in monolayer and Bernal bilayer graphene. Respectively in these two systems chiral quasiparticles display linear and biquadratic band touching, leading to linearly vanishing and constant DOS. Consequently, the former system remains stable for weak enough local interactions, and supports a variety of ordered phases only beyond a critical strength of interactions. By contrast, ordered phases can nucleate for sufficiently weak interactions in bilayer graph…
A graphene bilayer is known to perfectly reflect normally incident electrons due to their chirality. This is similar to Klein tunneling, which, in a monolayer, is instead responsible for perfect transmission at normal incidence. Stacking defaults turn each parabolic band crossing of a bilayer into pairs of Dirac cones. Here we show that, surprisingly, a stacking default (or shift) in a bilayer can result in perfect {\it transmission} at normal incidence as a result of Fabry-Pérot type resonances {\it at zero-energy}. These constructive interferences only happen for a specific orientation of th…
Using a simple LCAO model by Harrison, we have qualitatively studied the edge state of bilayer phosphorene, which is a unit structure of the layered crystal of black phosphorus. This model successfully reproduces the isolated edge state in the bulk gap in monolayer phosphorene. In bilayer phosphorene, however, it shows that edge states are almost buried in the valence band and there is no isolated midgap edge state at the zigzag edge. Since the buried edge state works as acceptor, holes are doped from the edge state into the bulk. This gives a possible explanation for p-type conduction in undo…
Undoped bilayer graphene is a two-dimensional semimetal with a low-energy excitation spectrum that is parabolic in the momentum. As a result, the screening of an arbitrary external charge $Ze$ is accompanied by a reconstruction of the ground state: valence band electrons (for $Z>0$) are promoted to form a space charge around the charge while the holes leave the physical picture. The outcome is flat neutral object resembling the regular atom except that for $Z \gg 1$ it is described by a strictly linear Thomas-Fermi theory. This theory also predicts that the bilayer's static dielectric constant…
We study the ballistic conductivity of graphene bilayer in the presence of next-nearest neighbor hoppings between the layers. An undoped and unbiased system was found in Ref. [1] to show a nonuniversal (length-dependent) conductivity $σ(L)$, approaching the value of $σ_\star=3/π\simeq{}0.95$ for large $L$. Here we demonstrate one-parameter scaling and determine the scaling function $β(σ)=d\ln{}\!σ/d\ln{}\!L$. The scaling flow has an attractive fixed point [$\,β(σ_\star)=0$, $β'(σ_\star)<0\,$] reproducing the scenario predicted for random impurity scattering of Dirac fermions with Coulomb repul…
A density-matrix formalism within the length gauge is developed for the purpose of calculating the nonlinear response of intrinsic bilayer graphene at terahertz frequencies. Employing a tight-binding model, we find that interplay between the interband and intraband dynamics leads to strong harmonic generation at moderate field amplitudes. Specifically, we find that at low temperature (10 K), the reflected field of undoped suspended bilayer graphene exhibits a third harmonic amplitude that is 30% of the fundamental in the reflected field for an incident 1 THz single-cycle pulse with a field amp…
A density-matrix formalism within the length gauge is developed to calculate the nonlinear response of both doped and undoped biased bilayer graphene (BBLG) at terahertz frequencies. Employing a tight-binding model, we derive an effective two-band Hamiltonian with which we calculate the conduction and valence band dispersion, as well as their respective Bloch states. We then solve for the dynamic equations of the density matrix elements, allowing for the calculation of the intraband and interband current densities and the transmitted and reflected terahertz fields. We find that for undoped BBL…
We investigate the Josephson effect in a bilayer graphene flake contacted by two monolayer sheet deposited by superconducting electrodes. It is found that when the electrodes are attached to the different layers of the bilayer, the Josephson current is in a $π$ state when the bilayer region is undoped and in the absence of vertical bias. Applying doping or bias to the junction reveals $π-0$ transitions which can be controlled by varying the temperature and the junction length. The supercurrent reversal here is very different from the ferromagnetic Josephson junctions where the spin degree of f…
Interlayer coupling effects between high mobility two-dimensional superconductors are studied in bilayer delta-doped SrTiO3 heterostructures. By tuning the undoped SrTiO3 spacer layer between the dopant planes, clear tunable coupling is demonstrated in the variation of the sheet carrier density, Hall mobility, superconducting transition temperature, and the temperature- and angle-dependences of the superconducting upper critical field. Systematic variation is found between one effective (merged) two-dimensional superconductor to two decoupled two-dimensional superconductors. In the intermediat…
We calculate the screening function in bilayer graphene (BLG) both in the intrinsic (undoped) and the extrinsic (doped) regime within random phase approximation, comparing our results with the corresponding single layer graphene (SLG) and the regular two dimensional electron gas (2DEG). We find that the Kohn anomaly is strongly enhanced in BLG. We also discuss the Friedel oscillation and the RKKY interaction, which are associated with the non-analytic behavior of the screening function at $q=2k_F$. We find that the Kohn anomaly, the Friedel oscillation, and the RKKY interaction are all qualita…
We have investigated the electronic structure of charged bilayer and trilayer phoshporene using first-principles, density-functional-theory calculations. We find that the effective dielectric constant for an external electric field applied perpendicular to phosphorene layers increases with the charge density and is twice as large as in an undoped system if the electron density is around $5\times10^{13}$cm$^{-2}$. It is known that if few-layer phosphorene is placed under such an electric field, the electron band gap decreases and if the strength of the electric field is further increased, the b…
We present a multi-scale density functional theory (DFT) informed molecular dynamics and tight-binding (TB) approach to capture the interdependent atomic and electronic structures of twisted bilayer graphene. We calibrate the flat band magic angle to be at $θ_{\rm M} = 1.08^{\circ}$ by rescaling the interlayer tunneling for different atomic structure relaxation models as a way to resolve the indeterminacy of existing atomic and electronic structure models whose predicted magic angles vary widely between $0.9^\circ \sim 1.3^\circ$. The interatomic force fields are built using input from various…
We report a theoretical study of the many-body effects of electron-electron interaction on the ground-state and spectral properties of double-layer graphene. Using a projector-based renormalization method we show that if a finite voltage difference is applied between the graphene layers electron-hole pairs can be formed and---at very low temperatures---an excitonic instability might emerge in a double-layer graphene structure. The single-particle spectral function near the Fermi surface exhibits a prominent quasiparticle peak, different from neutral (undoped) graphene bilayers. Away from the F…
We study the effects of an attractive interaction between the boron (B) and the nitrogen (N) atoms doped in a bilayer graphene (BLG), BC$_{14}$N, on the electronic, the thermal and the optical properties for two different types of a doping process: First, both the B and the N atoms are doped in the same layer while the other layer is undoped. Second, the B and N atoms are doped in both layers. An attractive interaction between the B and N atoms does not influence the interlayer interaction in the first case, while it does in the second case. We find that the strong B-N attractive interaction i…
Bilayer graphene -- two coupled single graphene layers stacked as in graphite -- provides the only known semiconductor with a gap that can be tuned externally through electric field effect. Here we use a tight binding approach to study how the gap changes with the applied electric field. Within a parallel plate capacitor model and taking into account screening of the external field, we describe real back gated and/or chemically doped bilayer devices. We show that a gap between zero and midinfrared energies can be induced and externally tuned in these devices, making bilayer graphene very appea…
We study the zero-temperature many-body properties of twisted bilayer graphene with a twist angle equal to the so-called `first magic angle'. The system low-energy single-electron spectrum consists of four (eight, if spin label is accounted) weakly-dispersing partially degenerate bands, each band accommodating one electron per Moir{é} cell per spin projection. This weak dispersion makes electrons particularly susceptible to the effects of interactions. Introducing several excitonic order parameters with spin-density-wave-like structure, we demonstrate that (i)~the band degeneracy is partially …
We study the RKKY interaction between two magnetic impurities located on same layer (intralayer case) or on different layers (interlayer case) in undoped bilayer graphene in the four-bands model, by directly calculating the Green functions in the eigenvalues and eigenvectors representation. Our results show that both intra- and interlayer RKKY interactions between two magnetic impurities located on same (opposite) sublattice are always ferromagnetic (antiferromagnetic). Furthermore we find unusual long-distance decay of the RKKY interaction in BLG. The intralyer RKKY interactions between two m…
Proximity-induced magnetic effects on the surface Dirac spectra of topological insulators are investigated by scanning tunneling spectroscopic (STS) studies of bilayer structures consisting of undoped Bi2Se3 thin films on top of Cr-doped Bi2Se3 layers. For thickness of the top Bi2Se3 layer equal to or smaller than 3 quintuple layers (QL), a spatially inhomogeneous surface spectral gap Δopens up below T_c^{2D}, which is much higher than the bulk Curie temperature T_c^{3D}. The mean value and spatial homogeneity of the gap Δgenerally increase with increasing c-axis magnetic field (H) and increas…
A low-temperature upturn of the Coulomb drag resistivity measured in an undoped electron-hole bilayer (uEHBL) device, possibly manifesting from exciton formation or condensation, was recently observed. The effects of density imbalance on this upturn are examined. Measurements of drag as a function of temperature in a uEHBL with a 20 nm wide Al$_{.90}$Ga$_{.10}$As barrier layer at various density imbalances are presented. The results show drag increasing as the density of either two dimensional system was reduced, both within and above the upturn temperature regime. A comparison of the data wit…
A DFT-based investigation of rhombohedral (ABC)-type graphene stacks in finite static electric fields is presented. Electronic band structures and field-induced charge densities are compared with related literature data as well as with own results on (AB) stacks. It is found, that the undoped AB-bilayer has a tiny Fermi line consisting of one electron pocket around the K-point and one hole pocket on the line K-$Γ$. In contrast to (AB) stacks, the breaking of translational symmetry by the surface of finite (ABC) stacks produces a gap in the bulk-like states for slabs up to a yet unknown critica…