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Latent Phase Transition in Two-Dimensional PdSe2

Qishuo Yang1,2,*, Yabei Wu3,*, Liang Zhu1,*, Junjie Shan4, Gang Wang1, Xingxing Li1, Erding Zhao1, Shaolong Jiang5, Xiao-lei Shi6 et al.

Zhi-gang Chen2,6, Jin Zou2,7, Shi-Jun Liang8, Feng Miao8, Wenqing Zhang3,†, and Junhao Lin1,5,9,‡

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: zhangwq@sustech.edu.cn
  • ‡Contact author: linjh@sustech.edu.cn

Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 206102 – Published 12 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hcy1-7znw

Abstract

Conventional phase transitions in two-dimensional (2D) materials typically involve gradual and progressive structural evolution upon external stimuli. However, analogous to the latent heat phenomena in classical thermodynamics, where energy absorption leads to internal reconfiguration without immediate phase change, we report an unconventional “latent phase transition” in 2D palladium diselenide (PdSe2), uncovered through in situ atomic scanning transmission electron microscopy. During Pd atom implantation and subsequent thermal annealing, the PdSe2 lattice absorbs input energy without significant structural rearrangement, maintaining its original framework over an extended temperature range. Remarkably, once a critical threshold of internal chemical pressure is reached, the structure abruptly collapses into a three-dimensional crystalline Pd17Se15 phase. Stabilized by the robust layer structure of PdSe2, this phase transition behavior closely mirrors the latent energy and sudden transformation characteristic of classical latent heat processes. Density functional theory calculations corroborate the mechanism, highlighting the role of van der Waals gap energy buffering and the weak Pd−Pd interactions. Our findings establish an unusual phase transition paradigm in 2D materials, enriching the fundamental understanding of phase engineering in low-dimensional systems.

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synopsis

Phase Transition Proceeds Slowly, Then All at Once

Published 12 November, 2025

Adding extra atoms between sheets of PdSe2 doesn’t affect the material’s layered structure—until it does.

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