Publication date: 27th June 2014
The interest in 2-dimensional systems with a honeycomb lattice and related Dirac-type electronic bands has exceeded the prototype graphene. Currently, 2-dimensional atomic and nanoscale systems are extensively investigated in the search for materials with novel electronic properties that can be tailored by geometry. I will show how atomically coherent honeycomb superlattices of rocksalt (PbSe, PbTe) and zincblende (CdSe, CdTe) semiconductors can be obtained by nanocrystal self-assembly, covalent attachement, and subsequent cation exchange. Atomistic theory and analytical predict that these artificial graphene systems combine Dirac-type electronic bands with the beneficial properties of a semiconductor, such as the presence of a band gap and strong spin-orbit coupling, leading to the quantum spin Hall effect. I will present the first experimental results on the opto-electrical characterisation of PbSe and CdSe honeycomb semiconductors.