An Investigation into Topological Crystals and Flat Band Systems

The field of condensed matter physics is characterized by of a vast array of physical phenomena which may be investigated through measurements of crystalline materials. This thesis investigates the synthesis of 3-dimensional systems under two broad classes: topological materials and flat band materials. The topological systems investigated include the topological insulator Cu₂Ti, the Weyl semimetal VMg₂O₄, and the nodal semimetal PtSeTe. The flat band systems investigated all incorporate the 2-dimensional Kagome lattice in their 3-dimensional structures, and include the materials Zr₂Fe₃(Si,Ge) and Fe₆Ge₆Zr. Synthesis campaigns for these candidate materials included the implementation of solid state reactions, flux growths, and chemical vapor transport growths. For these systems, the predicted physics, as well as the design, execution, and characterization of quantum material synthesis will be presented.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Debbas, Maximilien

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Checkelsky, Joseph

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
• Copyright MIT

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/147551

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/147551