%0 Journal Article
%A Tilgner, Niclas
%A Wolff, Susanne
%A Soubatch, Serguei
%A Lee, Tien-Lin
%A Peña Unigarro, Andres David
%A Gemming, Sibylle
%A Tautz, F. Stefan
%A Seyller, Thomas
%A Kumpf, Christian
%A Göhler, Fabian
%A Schädlich, Philip
%T Reversible switching of the environment-protected quantum spin Hall insulator bismuthene at the graphene/SiC interface
%J Nature Communications
%V 16
%N 1
%@ 2041-1723
%C [London]
%I Springer Nature
%M FZJ-2025-02987
%P 6171
%D 2025
%X Quantum spin Hall insulators have been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally because they exhibit robust helical edge states driven by spin-orbit coupling and offer the potential for applications in spintronics through dissipationless spin transport. Here we show that a single layer of elemental Bi, formed by intercalation of an epitaxial graphene buffer layer on SiC(0001), is a promising candidate for a quantum spin Hall insulator. This layer can be reversibly switched between an electronically inactive precursor state and a bismuthene state, the latter exhibiting the predicted band structure of a true two-dimensional bismuthene layer. Switching is accomplished by hydrogenation (dehydrogenation) of the sample. A partial passivation (activation) of Si dangling bonds causes a lateral shift of Bi atoms involving a change of the adsorption site. In the bismuthene state, the Bi honeycomb layer is a prospective quantum spin Hall insulator, inherently protected by the graphene sheet above and the H-passivated substrate below.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%$ 40615386
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:001523057700029
%R 10.1038/s41467-025-60440-x
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/1043689