Science Daily April 29, 2024
Flat bands in 2D and layered materials with a kagome lattice enhance electronic correlations. Although theoretically predicted, correlated-electron Mott insulating phases in monolayer 2D MOFs with a kagome structure have not yet been realized experimentally. An international team of researchers (Australia, Japan) synthesised a 2D kagome MOF on a 2D insulator. It revealed a MOF electronic energy gap of ∼200 meV, consistent with dynamical mean-field theory predictions of a Mott insulator. Combining template-induced and STM probe-induced gating, they locally tuned the electron population of the MOF kagome bands and induced Mott MITs. According to the researchers their findings enable technologies based on electrostatic control of many-body quantum phases in 2D MOFs… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A 2D kagome MOF on an atomically thin insulator: DCA3Cu2 on single layer hBN on Cu(111). Credit: Nature Communications volume 15, Article number: 3559 (2024)