Band structure tailoring in ZrSe2 single crystal via trace rhenium intercalation

Abstract

Atomic intercalation can be utilized to engineer the electronic structure of two dimensional layered materials at the atomic scale, thereby governing distinctive properties in comparison with the pristine ones. Herein, a minute amount of Rhenium (Re) atoms (∼1.3% wt.) were controllably intercalated inside the layers of semiconducting Zirconium diselenide (ZrSe2) single crystal. Our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy revealed that Re intercalation could move down the bottom of the ZrSe2 conduction band without band dispersion changes, resulting in a small electronic pocket at the Brillouin zone boundary at the M point. The subsequent low-temperature transport results further confirmed the anomalous metallic characteristics in the semiconducting ZrSe2 after low-level Re intercalation.