SnS/MnSe heterostructures for enhanced optoelectronics and dielectric applications

In this work, we synthesized SnS and MnSe compositions using a hydrothermal method and then prepared the SnS/MnSe heterostructure. By using X-ray diffraction, the structural characteristics of these compounds were examined. It was discovered that both the pure phases MnSe and SnS appeared in the SnS/MnSe sample, confirming the heterostructure formation. The Raman analysis also confirmed the formation of a heterostructure of the SnS/MnSe sample containing two phases, MnSe and SnS. The individual MnSe and SnS compositions show good optical properties, having bandgap values around 1.3 and 1 eV, respectively, whereas the prepared heterostructure shows a very low bandgap value of around 0.4 eV. The SnS sample shows nano sheet-like morphology, and MnSe shows rectangular-like shapes, whereas the SnS/MnSe heterostructure shows the presence of both shapes. The EDX study shows all the constituent elements in the SnS/MnSe heterostructure sample. The electrical study also shows that the properties of the prepared heterostructure are different from those of pure compositions. Investigating the dielectric characteristics with respect to temperature and frequency allowed for a thorough analysis of several parameters, including the electric modulus, dielectric constant, AC conductivity, and impedance spectroscopy. Applications for electronic and energy storage devices may benefit from the aforementioned optical, electrical, and dielectric characteristics of the SnS/MnSe heterostructure.

Inducing abundant magnetic phases and enhancing magnetic stability by edge modifications and physical regulations for NiI2 nanoribbons

Recently, a magnetic semiconducting NiI2 monolayer was successfully fabricated. To obtain richer magneto-electronic properties and find new physics for NiI2, we studied the zigzag-type NiI2 nanoribbon (ZNiI2NR) with edges modified by different concentrations of H and/or O atoms. Results show that these ribbons hold a higher energy stability, thermal stability, and magnetic stability, and the Curie temperature can be increased to 143 from 15 K for the bare-edged ribbons. They feature a half-semiconductor, bipolar magnetic semiconductor, or half-metal, depending on the edge-terminated atomic species and concentrations, and are closely related to the ribbon edge states, impurity bands or hybridized bands. By applying strain or an electric field, ribbons can achieve a reversible multi-magnetic phase transition among a bipolar magnetic semiconductor, half-semiconductor, half-metal, and magnetic metal. This is because strain changes the Ni-I bond length, resulting in a variation of bond configurations (weight of ionic and covalent bonds) and the number of unpaired electrons. The compressive strain can increase the Curie temperature because it makes the edged Ni-I-Ni bond angle closer to 90°, leading to the FM d-p-d superexchange interaction being increased. The electric field varies the magnetic phase because it alters the electrostatic potential of the ribbon edges, and the Curie temperature is enhanced under the electric field because the ribbon is changed to a metallic state (half-metal or magnetic metal), in which the magnetic Ni atoms satisfy the Stoner criterion and hold a large magnetic exchange coefficient and electron state density at the Fermi surface.

Exfoliable and self-healable two-dimensional materials from wurtzite zinc chalcogenides as building blocks of nanodevices

With the advent of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic applications. The most anticipated 2D materials have been synthesized and exploited for novel applications. Multilayered zinc chalcogenides (ZnX) are the best precursors for obtaining atomic layer two-dimensional materials by exfoliation. Therefore, we carry out a detailed density functional theory-based study to achieve an exfoliation process of ZnX non-van der Waals sheets by straining and provide a microscopic understanding of the ferroelectric, optic, and spin behaviors of ZnX systems and the corresponding self-healable two-dimensional ZnX devices. The results revealed that 2D ZnX sheets can be obtained when strain is 14% for ZnS and ZnSe, and the peak values of exfoliation energy have a similar order of magnitude to those of traditional 2D materials, indicating the possibility of obtaining 2D ZnX monolayers. For intrinsic 2D ferroelectric materials with in-plane electric polarization, the direction of ZnX sheets can be reversed using an electric field with an energy barrier of ∼0.175 eV per atom for ZnSe, offering a promising functional basis for their application in ferroelectric nanodevices. The first absorption of photons for polarization perpendicular to the monolayer plane occurs in a high energy range of photons, facilitating their application in LEDs. The spin splitting in non-centrosymmetric ZnX crystals exhibits a Rashba spin-texture according to first-principles calculations. The self-healable two-dimensional nanodevices have a smooth curve from -0.5 to 0.5 eV. This work indicates the potential value of non-van der Waals ZnX 2D materials for their application in photoelectric and spintronic nanodevices.

First-Principles Investigation of Nucleobase Detection by Tetranitrogen Coordinated Transition Metal Doped Graphene Nanoribbons

Detection of nucleobases is of great significance in DNA sequencing, which is one of the main goals of the Human Genome Project. By employing the nonequilibrium Green function method combined with density functional theory, we proposed a biosensor based on the TMN4 (TM = Ni, Cu) embedded graphene nanoribbons for nucleobase detection. The adsorption energy calculations show that all five nucleobases are physisorbed on the TMN4-doped graphene nanoribbons. Utilizing the distinction of current, the bases T, C, and U can be gradually detected at the biases of 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 V by NiN4-doped graphene nanoribbons, respectively. The bases A and G can be finally distinguished by CuN4-doped graphene nanoribbons under an external bias of not less than 0.8 V. The identification of individual nucleobases at specific biases could provide a novel mechanism for the further development of biosensors in rapid genome sequencing applications.

Vortex-Oriented Ferroelectric Domains in SnTe/PbTe Monolayer Lateral Heterostructures

Heterostructures formed from interfaces between materials with complementary properties often display unconventional physics. Of especial interest are heterostructures formed with ferroelectric materials. These are mostly formed by combining thin layers in vertical stacks. Here the first in situ molecular beam epitaxial growth and scanning tunneling microscopy characterization of atomically sharp lateral heterostructures between a ferroelectric SnTe monolayer and a paraelectric PbTe monolayer are reported. The bias voltage dependence of the apparent heights of SnTe and PbTe monolayers, which are closely related to the type-II band alignment of the heterostructure, is investigated. Remarkably, it is discovered that the ferroelectric domains in the SnTe surrounding a PbTe core form either clockwise or counterclockwise vortex-oriented quadrant configurations. In addition, when there is a finite angle between the polarization and the interface, the perpendicular component of the polarization always points from SnTe to PbTe. Supported by first-principles calculation, the mechanism of vortex formation and preferred polarization direction is identified in the interaction between the polarization, the space charge, and the strain effect at the horizontal heterointerface. The studies bring the application of 2D group-IV monochalcogenides on in-plane ferroelectric heterostructures a step closer.

Toward lateral heterostructures with two-dimensional MoX2H2 (X = As, Sb)

The development of two-dimensional (2D) lateral heterostructures (LHs) with the powerful tunability of electronic properties will be of great realistic significance for next-generation device applications. Herein, we report the novel 2D MoX2 and MoX2H2 (X = As or Sb) monolayer materials with excellent stability. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrated that 2D MoX2 layers possess the metallic characteristic while the full surface hydrogenation effect would play a role in stabilizing the 2D lattices and lead to band gap openings of 0.83 and 0.50 eV for the 2D MoAs2H2 and MoSb2H2, respectively. In addition, our results suggest that the 2D MoAs2H2 and MoSb2H2 can serve as the 'building blocks' to construct the seamless LHs exhibiting excellent thermal and dynamical stability. The obtained nL-MoAsSb LHs enable the fully tunable band gap engineering behavior with linear tendency as a function of the width of the in-plane components. The phase transition from direct to in-direct band gap was also confirmed in the LHs as the crucial value of n = 3. In view of the type-II band alignment and efficient carrier separation in nL-MoAsSb, the predicted MoX2H2 and nL-MoAsSb LHs not only highlight the promising candidates for 2D pristine materials, but also paves the way for the realization of practical integrating device applications.