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1. Raman Spectroscopy of Quasi-One-Dimensional NbTe Weyl Semimetal Nanowires

   Zahra Ebrahimnatajmalekshah, Fariborz Kargar (April 2023, CONTROL ID: 3836767, SYMPOSIUM: EL01 Phase-Change Materials for Emerging Applications in Reconfigurable Devices, Memory and Computing, Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting (2023))

   Recently a new research field of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals quantummaterials has emerged from earlier work on low-dimensional systems [1-2]. The quasi-1D van der Waalsmaterials have 1D motifs in their crystal structure [1]. Many of these materials reveal strongly correlatedphenomena such as charge density waves (CDW) [1-2]. The CDW phase is a periodic modulation of theelectronic charge density, accompanied by distortions in the underlying crystal lattice. Potential uses for CDWmaterials include memory storage and oscillators [3]. Raman spectroscopy can identify the CDW transitions todifferent phases via the appearance of phonon peaks due to emerging superstructure or the disappearance ofcertain peaks due to the loss of translation symmetry in the crystal lattice [3]. In this presentation, we report theresults of the angle and temperature-dependent Raman scattering spectroscopy investigation of themechanically exfoliated nanowires of the quasi-1D Nb van der Waals material. It is known that Nb forms in atetragonal crystal structure with space group 124 (P4/mcc). Recently, this material attracted attention as aCDW material with multiple phase transitions, some of them, possibly, near room temperature. Littleinformation is known on the Raman characteristics of this material. Our Raman data for different polarizationangles show strong anisotropy in the response depending on the crystal direction. The most pronouncedRaman peaks reveal strong temperature dependence. The results of the measurements will be compared withthe theoretical predictions. Our data is important for further investigation of this quasi-1D CDW material forpossible applications in phase-change memory and reconfigurable devices. A.A.B. acknowledges the support of the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) from the Office of NavalResearch (ONR) contract N00014-21-1-2947 “One-Dimensional Quantum Materials” and the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) program Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) via aproject DMR-1921958 “Data-Driven Discovery of Synthesis Pathways and Distinguishing ElectronicPhenomena of 1D van der Waals Bonded Solids”. A. D. and S. K. acknowledge support through the MaterialGenome Initiative funding allocated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. [1] A. A. Balandin, F. Kargar, T. T. Salguero, and R. Lake, “One-dimensional van der Waals quantummaterials", Mater. Today, 55, 74 (2022). [2] A. A. Balandin, R. K. Lake, and T. T. Salguero, "One-dimensional van der Waals materials - Advent of a newresearch field" Appl. Phys. Lett., 121, 040401 (2022). [3] A. A. Balandin, S. V. Zaitzev-Zotov, and G. Grüner, "Charge-density-wave quantum materials and devices—New developments and future prospects", Appl. Phys. Lett., 119, 170401 (2021). [4] R. Samnakay, et al., “Zone-folded phonons and the charge-density-wave transition in 1T-TaSe2 thin films, Nano Lett., 15, 2965 (2015). 

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2. Raman Spectroscopy of Quasi-One-Dimensional NbTe Weyl Semimetal Nanowires

   Zahra Ebrahimnatajmalekshah, Fariborz Kargar (April 2023, Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting (2023))

   Abstract Body: Recently a new research field of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals quantummaterials has emerged from earlier work on low-dimensional systems [1-2]. The quasi-1D van der Waalsmaterials have 1D motifs in their crystal structure [1]. Many of these materials reveal strongly correlatedphenomena such as charge density waves (CDW) [1-2]. The CDW phase is a periodic modulation of theelectronic charge density, accompanied by distortions in the underlying crystal lattice. Potential uses for CDWmaterials include memory storage and oscillators [3]. Raman spectroscopy can identify the CDW transitions todifferent phases via the appearance of phonon peaks due to emerging superstructure or the disappearance ofcertain peaks due to the loss of translation symmetry in the crystal lattice [3]. In this presentation, we report theresults of the angle and temperature-dependent Raman scattering spectroscopy investigation of themechanically exfoliated nanowires of the quasi-1D Nb van der Waals material. It is known that Nb forms in atetragonal crystal structure with space group 124 (P4/mcc). Recently, this material attracted attention as aCDW material with multiple phase transitions, some of them, possibly, near room temperature. Littleinformation is known on the Raman characteristics of this material. Our Raman data for different polarizationangles show strong anisotropy in the response depending on the crystal direction. The most pronouncedRaman peaks reveal strong temperature dependence. The results of the measurements will be compared withthe theoretical predictions. Our data is important for further investigation of this quasi-1D CDW material forpossible applications in phase-change memory and reconfigurable devices. A.A.B. acknowledges the support of the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) from the Office of NavalResearch (ONR) contract N00014-21-1-2947 “One-Dimensional Quantum Materials” and the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) program Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) via aproject DMR-1921958 “Data-Driven Discovery of Synthesis Pathways and Distinguishing ElectronicPhenomena of 1D van der Waals Bonded Solids”. A. D. and S. K. acknowledge support through the MaterialGenome Initiative funding allocated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. [1] A. A. Balandin, F. Kargar, T. T. Salguero, and R. Lake, “One-dimensional van der Waals quantummaterials", Mater. Today, 55, 74 (2022). [2] A. A. Balandin, R. K. Lake, and T. T. Salguero, "One-dimensional van der Waals materials - Advent of a newresearch field" Appl. Phys. Lett., 121, 040401 (2022). [3] A. A. Balandin, S. V. Zaitzev-Zotov, and G. Grüner, "Charge-density-wave quantum materials and devices—New developments and future prospects", Appl. Phys. Lett., 119, 170401 (2021). [4] R. Samnakay, et al., “Zone-folded phonons and the charge-density-wave transition in 1T-TaSe2 thin films,” Nano Lett., 15, 2965 (2015). 

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3. Magnon-phonon hybridization in 2D antiferromagnet MnPSe ₃

   https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abj3106  

   Mai, Thuc T.; Garrity, Kevin F.; McCreary, Amber; Argo, Joshua; Simpson, Jeffrey R.; Doan-Nguyen, Vicky; Aguilar, Rolando Valdés; Walker, Angela R. (October 2021, Science Advances)

   Magnetic excitations in van der Waals (vdW) materials, especially in the two-dimensional (2D) limit, are an exciting research topic from both the fundamental and applied perspectives. Using temperature-dependent, magneto-Raman spectroscopy, we identify the hybridization of two-magnon excitations with two phonons in manganese phosphorus triselenide (MnPSe 3 ), a magnetic vdW material that hosts in-plane antiferromagnetism. Results from first-principles calculations of the phonon and magnon spectra further support our identification. The Raman spectra’s rich temperature dependence through the magnetic transition displays an avoided crossing behavior in the phonons’ frequency and a concurrent decrease in their lifetimes. We construct a model based on the interaction between a discrete level and a continuum that reproduces these observations. Our results imply a strong hybridization between each phonon and a two-magnon continuum. This work demonstrates that the magnon-phonon interactions can be observed directly in Raman scattering and provides deep insight into these interactions in 2D magnetic materials. 

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4. The phononic and charge density wave behavior of entire rare-earth tritelluride series with chemical pressure and temperature

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0110395  

   Yumigeta, Kentaro; Attarde, Yashika; Kopaczek, Jan; Sayyad, Mohammed Y.; Shen, Yuxia; Blei, Mark; Rajaei Moosavy, Seyed Tohid; Qin, Ying; Sailus, Renee; Tongay, Sefaattin (November 2022, APL Materials)

   Here, we present comprehensive phononic and charge density wave properties (CDW) of rare-earth van der Waals tritellurides through temperature dependent angle-resolved Raman spectroscopy measurements. All the possible rare-earth tritellurides (RTe 3 ) ranging from R = La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Tm were synthesized through a chemical vapor transport technique to achieve high quality crystals with excellent CDW characteristics. Raman spectroscopy studies successfully identify the emergence of the CDW state and transition temperature (T CDW ), which offers a non-destructive method to identify their CDW response with micron spatial resolution. Temperature dependent Raman measurements further correlate how the atomic mass of metal cations and the resulting chemical pressure influence its CDW properties and offer detailed insight into the strength of CDW amplitude mode-phonon coupling during the CDW transition. Angle-resolved Raman measurements offer the first insights into the CDW-phonon symmetry interplay by monitoring the change in the symmetry of phonon mode across the CDW transition. Overall results introduce the library of RTe 3 CDW materials and establish their characteristics through the non-destructive angle-resolved Raman spectroscopy technique. 

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5. Spontaneously formed phonon frequency combs in van der Waals solid CrGeTe3 and CrSiTe3

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61173-7  

   Chen, Lebing; Ye, Gaihua; Nnokwe, Cynthia; Pan, Xing-Chen; Tanigaki, Katsumi; Cheng, Guanghui; Chen, Yong P; Yan, Jiaqiang; Mandrus, David G; Llacsahuanga_Allcca, Andres E; et al (December 2025, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Optical phonon engineering through nonlinear effects has been utilized in ultrafast control of material properties. However, nonlinear optical phonons typically exhibit rapid decay due to strong mode-mode couplings, limiting their effectiveness in temperature or frequency sensitive applications. Here we report the observation of long-lived nonlinear optical phonons through the spontaneous formation of phonon frequency combs in the van der Waals material CrXTe₃(X=Ge, Si) using high-resolution Raman scattering. Unlike conventional optical phonons, the highestA_gmode in CrGeTe₃splits into equidistant, sharp peaks forming a frequency comb that persists for hundreds of oscillations and survives up to 200K. These modes correspond to localized oscillations of Ge₂Te₆clusters, isolated from Cr hexagons, behaving as independent quantum oscillators. Introducing a cubic nonlinear term to the harmonic oscillator model, we simulate the phonon time evolution and successfully replicate the observed comb structure. Similar frequency comb behavior is observed in CrSiTe₃, demonstrating the generalizability of this phenomenon. Our findings demonstrate that Raman scattering effectively probes high-frequency nonlinear phonon modes, offering insight into the generation of long-lived, tunable phonon frequency combs with potential applications in ultrafast material control and phonon-based technologies. 

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