Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ade3ae

中国物理B ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (9): 97301-097301.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/ade3ae

所属专题： TOPICAL REVIEW — Exciton physics: Fundamentals, materials and devices

Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems

Huaiyuan Yang(杨怀远)¹, Xi Dai(戴希)^1,†, and Xin-Zheng Li(李新征)^2,3,4,‡

1 Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China;
2 State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Frontier Science Center for Nano-optoelectronics and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
3 Interdisciplinary Institute of Light-Element Quantum Materials, Research Center for Light-Element Advanced Materials, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
4 Peking University Yangtze Delta Institute of Optoelectronics, Nantong 226010, China

收稿日期:2025-05-01 修回日期:2025-06-09 接受日期:2025-06-12 出版日期:2025-08-21 发布日期:2025-08-28
通讯作者: Xi Dai, Xin-Zheng Li E-mail:daix@ust.hk;xzli@pku.edu.cn
基金资助:
X.-Z. Li is supported by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (Grant Nos. 2022YFA1403500 and 2021YFA1400500) and the National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62321004, 12234001, and 12474215). The computational resources are provided by the supercomputer center at Peking University, China. X. Dai is supported by New Cornerstone Science Foundation and a fellowship and a CRF award from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Grant Nos. HKUST SRFS2324-6S01 and C7037-22GF).

Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems

Huaiyuan Yang(杨怀远)¹, Xi Dai(戴希)^1,†, and Xin-Zheng Li(李新征)^2,3,4,‡

1 Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China;
2 State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Frontier Science Center for Nano-optoelectronics and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
3 Interdisciplinary Institute of Light-Element Quantum Materials, Research Center for Light-Element Advanced Materials, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
4 Peking University Yangtze Delta Institute of Optoelectronics, Nantong 226010, China

Received:2025-05-01 Revised:2025-06-09 Accepted:2025-06-12 Online:2025-08-21 Published:2025-08-28
Contact: Xi Dai, Xin-Zheng Li E-mail:daix@ust.hk;xzli@pku.edu.cn
Supported by:
X.-Z. Li is supported by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (Grant Nos. 2022YFA1403500 and 2021YFA1400500) and the National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62321004, 12234001, and 12474215). The computational resources are provided by the supercomputer center at Peking University, China. X. Dai is supported by New Cornerstone Science Foundation and a fellowship and a CRF award from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Grant Nos. HKUST SRFS2324-6S01 and C7037-22GF).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Electron-hole interactions play a crucial role in determining the optoelectronic properties of materials, and in low-dimensional systems this is especially true due to the decrease of screening. In this review, we focus on one unique quantum phase induced by the electron-hole interaction in two-dimensional systems, known as "exciton insulators" (EIs). Although this phase of matter has been studied for more than half a century, suitable platforms for its stable realization remain scarce. We provide an overview of the strategies to realize EIs in accessible materials and structures, along with a discussion on some unique properties of EIs stemming from the band structures of these materials. Additionally, signatures in experiments to distinguish EIs are discussed.

关键词: excitonic insulator, two-dimensional materials

Abstract: Electron-hole interactions play a crucial role in determining the optoelectronic properties of materials, and in low-dimensional systems this is especially true due to the decrease of screening. In this review, we focus on one unique quantum phase induced by the electron-hole interaction in two-dimensional systems, known as "exciton insulators" (EIs). Although this phase of matter has been studied for more than half a century, suitable platforms for its stable realization remain scarce. We provide an overview of the strategies to realize EIs in accessible materials and structures, along with a discussion on some unique properties of EIs stemming from the band structures of these materials. Additionally, signatures in experiments to distinguish EIs are discussed.

Key words: excitonic insulator, two-dimensional materials

中图分类号: (Collective excitations (including excitons, polarons, plasmons and other charge-density excitations))

73.20.Mf

73.22.Gk (Broken symmetry phases) 71.35.-y (Excitons and related phenomena)

Huaiyuan Yang(杨怀远), Xi Dai(戴希), and Xin-Zheng Li(李新征). Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems[J]. 中国物理B, 2025, 34(9): 97301-097301.

Huaiyuan Yang(杨怀远), Xi Dai(戴希), and Xin-Zheng Li(李新征). Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems[J]. Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(9): 97301-097301.

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Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems

Exciton insulators in two-dimensional systems

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