Nano Lett. 26, 6594–6602 (2026)
Zhi-Hao Li#, Jia-Qi Dai#, Guan Luo, Ruo-Ning Li, An-Jing Zhao, Jun-Jie Duan, Yu Ge, Zi-Cong Wang, Wei Ji*, Ting Chen*, Dong Wang and Li-Jun Wan
Abstract:
Atomically thin InTe, a III–VI analogue of InSe, has recently emerged as a promising two-dimensional semiconductor for nanoelectronics, yet the nature of its two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) has remained experimentally elusive. Here, using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with quasiparticle interference (QPI) imaging, we present direct evidence of the existence of a 2DEG in monolayer and bilayer InTe. Bias-dependent standing-wave patterns reveal a parabolic conduction-band dispersion in both thicknesses. Quantitative analysis yields a low electron effective mass of 0.241me in monolayer InTe, smaller than that of monolayer InSe/BLG (∼0.27me). In bilayer InTe, interlayer coupling lifts the conduction-band-edge degeneracy, and produces two subbands with effective masses of 0.197me and 0.802me. Density functional theory calculations are in good agreement with the experimental observations. These results establish atomically thin InTe as a promising platform for low-dimensional electronic physics and nanoelectronic applications.
