Two-Dimensional Gold Sulfide Monolayers with Direct Band Gap and Ultrahigh Electron Mobility

Electronic band structure change with structural transition of buckled Au2X monolayers induced by strain

This study investigates the strain-induced structural transitions of η ↔ θ and the changes in electronic band structures of Au2X (X = S, Se, Te, Si, Ge) and Au4SSe. We focus on Au2S monolayers, which can form multiple meta-stable monolayers theoretically, including η-Au2S, a buckled penta-monolayer composed of a square Au lattice and S adatoms. The θ-Au2S is regarded as a distorted structure of η-Au2S. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations using a generalized gradient approximation, the conduction and the valence bands of θ-Au2S intersect at the Γ point, leading to linear dispersion, whereas η-Au2S has a band gap of 1.02 eV. The conduction band minimum depends on the specific Au-Au bond distance, while the valence band maximum depends on both Au-S and Au-Au interactions. The band gap undergoes significant changes during the η ↔ θ phase transition of Au2S induced by applying tensile or compressive in-plane biaxial strain to the lattice. Moreover, substituting S atoms with other elements alters the electronic band structures, resulting in a variety of physical properties without disrupting the fundamental Au lattice network. Therefore, the family of Au2X monolayers holds potential as materials for atomic scale network devices.

Prediction of 2D group-11 chalcogenides: insights into novel auxetic M2X (M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te) monolayers

Two-dimensional (2D) auxetic materials have recently attracted considerable research interest due to their excellent mechanical properties and diverse applications, surpassing those of three-dimensional (3D) materials. This study focuses on the theoretical prediction of mechanical properties and auxeticity in 2D M2X (M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te) monolayers using first-principles calculations. Our results indicate that the dynamically stable monolayers include low-energy α-Cu2S, α-Cu2Se, α-Cu2Te, β-Ag2S, β-Ag2Se, α-Ag2Te, β-Au2S, β-Au2Se and α-Au2Te. These M2X monolayers possess positive Poisson's ratios (PR) ranging from 0.09 to 0.52, as well as Young's moduli ranging from 19.92 to 35.42 N m-1 in x and y directions. Specially, α-Cu2S exhibits the lowest negative PR in θ = 45° × n (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) directions. The Poisson's function (PF) can be adjusted by increasing tensile strains. The β-phase monolayers exhibit positive PF with a linear change. Interestingly, the transition from positive to negative PF occurs in the α-Cu2S and α-Ag2Te monolayers at strains greater than +3% and +4%, respectively, while the α-Cu2Se, α-Cu2Te and α-Au2Te monolayers maintain positive PF within the range of 0% to +6% strains. Furthermore, taking α-Cu2S (α-Cu2Te) as an example, the mechanism underlying negative (positive) PF is demonstrated to involve increased (decreased) bond angles, decreased thickness, and weakened (enhanced) d(M)-p(X) orbital coupling. The findings of this study not only enrich the family of 2D group-11 chalcogenides but also provide insights into their mechanical properties, thereby expanding their potential applications in mechanics.

Type-I CdS/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dot-Gold Heterostructural Nanocrystals for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

Developing Type-I core/shell quantum dots is of great importance toward fabricating stable and sustainable photocatalysts. However, the application of Type-I systems has been limited due to the strongly confined photogenerated charges by the energy barrier originating from the wide-bandgap shell material. In this project, we found that through the decoration of Au satellite-type domains on the surface of Type-I CdS/ZnS core/shell quantum dots, such an energy barrier can be effectively overcome and an over 400-fold enhancement of photocatalytic H2 evolution rate was achieved compared to bare CdS/ZnS quantum dots. Transient absorption spectroscopic studies indicated that the charges can be effectively extracted and subsequently transferred to surrounding molecular substrates in a subpicosecond time scale in such hybrid nanocrystals. Based on density functional theory calculations, the ultrafast charge separation rates were ascribed to the formation of intermediate Au2S layer at the semiconductor-metal interface, which can successfully offset the energy confinement introduced by the ZnS shell. Our findings not only provide insightful understandings on charge carrier dynamics in semiconductor-metal heterostructural materials but also pave the way for the future design of quantum dot-based hybrid photocatalytic systems.

Tunable Intrinsic Phonon Mode versus Anomalous Thermal Transport in Two-Dimensional Strongly Anharmonic Group IB Chalcogenides A2IBSe1/2Te1/2 (AIB = Cu, Ag, or Au)

Group IB chalcogenides, as promising thermoelectric materials, have ultralow thermal transport. Here, we propose a peculiar intrinsic B2 phonon mode that includes the in-plane rotational and stretching vibrations of metal atoms in two-dimensional A2IBSe1/2Te1/2 (AIB = Cu, Ag, or Au). The B2 mode is sensitive to the metal-atom mass, temperature, and strain for effectively tuning the lattice thermal conductivity. The in-plane stretching vibration leads to an unexpected increase in the lattice thermal conductivity from Cu to Ag and to Au systems, in contrast to Keyes' theory. The s(I) phase can be stabilized by the temperature-hardened B2 mode to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity, following the ∼T-0.59 instead of the traditional ∼T-1 trend. The s(II)-to-s(I) phase transition is driven by the strain-softened B2 mode to greatly enhance thermal transport via weakening the anharmonicity. Our work establishes the relationship of tunable intrinsic phonon mode versus thermal transport in two-dimensional group IB chalcogenides.

Enhanced Anharmonicity by Forming Low-Symmetry Off-Center Phase: The Case of Two-Dimensional Group-IB Chalcogenides

Enhanced anharmonicity is required to achieve many interesting phenomena in thermoelectricity, superconductivity, ferroelectricity, etc. Here, we propose a novel mechanism for enhancing anharmonicity by forming the low-symmetry off-center ground state, such as the s(II) phase, in two-dimensional A^IB₂X chalcogenides (A^IB = Cu, Ag and Au; X = S, Se, and Te). In this system, the in-plane rotational phonon mode introduces a much stronger anharmonicity in the distorted s(II) phase than in the nondistorted s(I) phase. We show that the stabilities of the s(I) and s(II) phases arise from the ionicity and the ionic size; for example, the low ionicity and the small ionic size favor the s(II) phase. We further demonstrate that the anharmonicity can be tuned by controlling the strain-induced s(II)-to-s(I) phase transition, which explains the anomalous lattice thermal conductivity. Our work relates anharmonicity to symmetry-breaking structural distortion and widens the ways to design excellent thermoelectric materials.

Extraordinary lattice thermal conductivity of gold sulfide monolayers

Gold sulfide monolayers (α-, β-Au₂S, α-, β-, γ-AuS) have emerged as a new class of two-dimensional (2D) materials with appealing properties such as high thermal and dynamical stability, oxidation resistance, and excellent electron mobility. However, their thermal properties are still unexplored. In this study, based on first-principles calculations and the Peierls-Boltzmann transport equation, we report the lattice thermal conductivity (κ) and related phonon thermal properties of all members of this family. Our results show that gold sulfide monolayers have lattice thermal conductivity spanning almost three orders of magnitude, from 0.04 W m^-1 K^-1 to 10.62 W m^-1 K^-1, with different levels of anisotropy. Particularly, our results demonstrate that β-Au₂S with ultralow κ _aa = 0.06 W m^-1 K^-1 and κ _bb = 0.04 W m^-1 K^-1 along the principal in-plane directions, has one of the lowest κ values that have been reported for a 2D material, well below that of PbSe. This extremely low lattice thermal conductivity can be attributed to its flattened phonon branches and low phonon group velocity, high anharmonicity, and short phonon lifetimes. Our results may provide insight into the application of gold sulfide monolayers as thermoelectric materials, and motivate future κ measurements of gold sulfide monolayers.

Effects of 3d transition metal impurities and vacancy defects on electronic and magnetic properties of pentagonal Pd2S4: competition between exchange splitting and crystal fields

In this paper, we first investigate the electronic properties of the two-dimensional structure of dichalcogenide Pd₂S₄. These properties strongly depend on the crystal field splitting which can change by atomic vacancies (S and Pd vacancies). The main purpose of the present paper is to create remarkable magnetic properties in the system by adding 3d transition metal atoms where the presence of Mn, Cr, and Fe creates the exchange interaction in the system as well as change in the crystal field. The created magnetic properties strongly depend on the competition between exchange interaction and crystal field to separate the levels of d orbitals. In addition, the presence of the transition metals in the structures with S and Pd vacancy has been investigated carefully. The calculations demonstrate that we can achieve an extensive range of magnetic moment up to 3.131 \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mu }_{B}$$\end{document}μB. The maximum one is obtained in the presence of Mn and absence of sulfur while some of the doped structures does not have magnetic moment. Our results show that Pd vacancy in the presence of Cr, Mn and Fe metals increases the magnetic property of the Pd₂S₄ structure. The extensiveness and variety of the obtained properties can be used for different magnetic and non-magnetic applications.

Two-dimensional semiconductor materials with high stability and electron mobility in group-11 chalcogenide compounds: MNX (M = Cu, Ag, Au; N = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te; M ≠ N)

It is still an urgent task to find new two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials with a suitable band gap, high stability and high mobility for the applications of next generation electronic devices. Based on first-principles calculations, we report a new class of 2D group-11-chalcogenide trielement monolayers (MNX, where M = Cu, Ag, Au; N = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te; M ≠ N) with a wide band gap, excellent stability (dynamic stability, thermodynamic stability and environmental stability) and high mobility. At the mixed density functional level, the energy band gap extends from 0.61 eV to 2.65 eV, covering the ultraviolet-A and visible light regions, which is critical for a broadband optical response. For δ-MNX monolayers, the carrier mobility is as high as 10⁴ cm² V^-1 s^-1 at room temperature. In particular, the mobility of δ-AgAuS is as high as 6.94 × 10⁴ cm² V^-1 s^-1, which is of great research significance for the application of electronic devices in the future. Based on the above advantages, group-11 chalcogenide MNX monomolecular films have broad prospects in the field of nanoelectronics and optoelectronics in the future.

Tunable electronic properties and enhanced ferromagnetism in Cr2Ge2Te6monolayer by strain engineering

Recently, as a new representative of Heisenberg's two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials, 2D Cr₂Ge₂Te₆(CGT), has attracted much attention due to its intrinsic ferromagnetism. Unfortunately, the Curie temperature (T_C) of CGT monolayer is only 22 K, which greatly hampers the development of the applications based on the CGT materials. Herein, by means of density functional theory computations, we explored the electronic and magnetic properties of CGT monolayer under the applied strain. It is demonstrated that the band gap of CGT monolayer can be remarkably modulated by applying the tensile strain, which first increases and then decreases with the increase of tensile strain. In addition, the strain can increase the Curie temperature and magnetic moment, and thus largely enhance the ferromagnetism of CGT monolayer. Notably, the obvious enhancement ofT_Cby 191% can be achieved at 10% strain. These results demonstrate that strain engineering can not only tune the electronic properties, but also provide a promising avenue to improve the ferromagnetism of CGT monolayer. The remarkable electronic and magnetic response to biaxial strain can also facilitate the development of CGT-based spin devices.

Conflux of tunable Rashba effect and piezoelectricity in flexible magnesium monochalcogenide monolayers for next-generation spintronic devices

The coupling of piezoelectric properties with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) has proven to be the limit breaker that paves the way for a self-powered spintronic device (ACS Nano, 2018, 12, 1811-1820). For further advancement in next-generation devices, a new class of buckled, hexagonal magnesium-based chalcogenide monolayers (MgX; X = S, Se, Te) have been predicted which are direct band gap semiconductors satisfying all the stability criteria. The MgTe monolayer shows a strong SOC with a Rashba constant of 0.63 eV Å that is tunable to the extent of ±0.2 eV Å via biaxial strain. Also, owing to its broken inversion symmetry and buckling geometry, MgTe has a very large in-plane as well as out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient. These results indicate its prospects for serving as a channel semiconducting material in self-powered piezo-spintronic devices. Furthermore, a prototype for a digital logic device can be envisioned using the ac pulsed technology via a perpendicular electric field. Heat transport is significantly suppressed in these monolayers as observed from their intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity at room temperature: MgS (9.32 W m-1 K-1), MgSe (4.93 W m-1 K-1) and MgTe (2.02 W m-1 K-1). Further studies indicate that these monolayers can be used as photocatalytic materials for the simultaneous production of hydrogen and oxygen on account of having suitable band edge alignment and high charge carrier mobility. This work provides significant theoretical insights into both the fundamental and applied properties of these new buckled MgX monolayers, which are highly suitable for futuristic applications at the nanoscale in low-power, self-powered multifunctional electronic and spintronic devices and solar energy harvesting.

Two-dimensional Ga2O2 monolayer with tunable band gap and high hole mobility

By means of density functional theory and unbiased structure search computations, we systematically investigated the stability and electronic properties of a new Ga2O2 monolayer. The phonon spectra and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show that the Ga2O2 monolayer is dynamically and thermally stable. Moreover, it also shows superior open-air stability. In particular, the Ga2O2 monolayer is an indirect semiconductor with a wide band gap of 2.752 eV and high hole mobility of 4720 cm2 V-1 s-1. Its band gap can be tuned flexibly in a large range by applied strain and layer control. It exhibits high absorption coefficients (>105 cm-1) in the ultraviolet region. The combined novel electronic properties of the Ga2O2 monolayer imply that it is a highly promising material for future applications in electronics and optoelectronics.

Interfacial hybridization of Janus MoSSe and BX (X = P, As) monolayers for ultrathin excitonic solar cells, nanopiezotronics and low-power memory devices

In this work, we explored the interfacial two-dimensional (2D) physics and significant advancements in the application prospects of MoSSe monolayer when it is combined with a boron pnictide (BP, BAs) monolayer in a van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) setup. The constructed vdWHs were found to be mechanically and dynamically stable, and they form type-II p-n heterojunctions. Thus, the photogenerated electron-hole pairs are spatially separated. In the BX/MoSSe vdWHs, the BX monolayer serves as excellent donor material for MoSSe, having an ideal donor band gap of ∼1.3 eV. The small value of the conduction band offset (CBO) between the individual monolayers in the vdWHs makes it an excellent candidate for solar energy harvesting in excitonic solar cells, where the power conversion efficiencies were calculated to be 22.97% (BP/MoSSe) and 20.86% (BAs/MoSSe). Also, more than four-fold enhancement in the out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) was observed in the MoSSe-based vdWH relative to that in the MoS₂-based vdWH owing to the intrinsic built-in vertical electric field in MoSSe. This is consistent with the out-of-plane piezoelectricity brought about by the alteration in symmetry at the metal-semiconductor Schottky junction, which has been observed experimentally [M.-M. Yang, Z.-D. Luo, Z. Mi, J. Zhao, S. P. E and M. Alexe, Nature, 2020, 584, 377-381]. The results obtained in this work provide useful insights into the design of nanomaterials for future applications in nano-optoelectronics, more efficient excitonic solar cells, and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Furthermore, this work demonstrates outstanding potential for the application of these vdWHs in superfast electronics, including low-power digital data storage and memory devices, where the tunnel current between the source and drain is effectively tunable using a normal electric field of small magnitude serving as the gate voltage.

Two-Dimensional Gold Halides: Novel Semiconductors with Giant Spin-Orbit Splitting and Tunable Optoelectronic Properties

We introduce a new family of 2D materials with unique structure and optoelectronic properties, namely, single-layer gold(I) halides (AuHals). We propose their stability as well as structural, electronic, and optical properties using first-principles calculations. The cleavage energy is found to be similar to that of graphene from graphite, indicating the possibility for mechanical exfoliation. We show that AuHals are stable and have tunable direct (AuBr) and indirect (AuI) band gaps depending on the number of layers. We discuss the possible origin of the giant spin-orbit coupling (SOC) induced conduction band splitting in terms of orbital-decomposed band structure to guide future investigations on the design of materials with highly effective SOC. Exceptionally high excitonic binding energy, high hole mobility, and tunable band gaps indicate that AuHals are promising candidates for optoelectronic devices with excellent performance.

Beryllene: A Promising Anode Material for Na- and K-Ion Batteries with Ultrafast Charge/Discharge and High Specific Capacity

We predict two-dimensional Be materials, α- and β-beryllene. In α-beryllene each Be atom binds to six other Be atoms in a planar scheme, whereas β-beryllene consists of two stacked α-beryllene monolayers. Both α- and β-beryllene are found to be highly stable, as demonstrated by high cohesive energies close to that of bulk Be, an absence of imaginary phonon modes, and high melting points. Both materials are metallic, indicating potential applications in Na-ion and K-ion batteries, which are explored in detail. The diffusion barriers of Na (K) on α- and β-beryllene are found to be only 9 (3) and 4 (5) meV, respectively. In particular, the diffusion barrier of K on α-beryllene exhibits the lowest ever recorded value in two-dimensional materials, suggesting the possibility of ultrafast charge/discharge. As the theoretical specific capacities of Na/K on α- and β-beryllene are found to be 1487/1322 and 743/743 mA h g^-1, respectively, the storage capacity is ultrahigh.

Two-Dimensional Square-A2B (A = Cu, Ag, Au, and B = S, Se): Auxetic Semiconductors with High Carrier Mobilities and Unusually Low Lattice Thermal Conductivities

Using evolutionary structure search combined with ab initio theory, we investigate the electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties of two-dimensional (2D) A₂B (A = Cu, Ag, Au, and B = S, Se) auxetic semiconductors. Two types of structures are found to have low energy, namely, s(I/II)-A₂B, which have direct bandgaps in the range 1.09-2.60 eV and high electron mobilities. Among these semiconductors, Cu₂B and Ag₂B have light holes with 2 orders of magnitude larger mobility than the heavy holes, up to 9.51 × 10⁴ cm² V^-1 s^-1, giving the possibility of achieving highly anisotropic hole transport with the application of a uniaxial strain. Due to the ionic bonding nature, s-A₂B structures have unusually low lattice thermal conductivities down to 1.5 W m^-1 K^-1 at 300 K, which are quite promising for new generation thermoelectric devices. Besides, s-A₂B structures show extraordinary flexibility with ultralow Young's moduli (down to 20 N/m), which are lower than most previously reported 2D materials. Moreover, under strain along the diagonal direction, five of the structures have in-plane negative Poisson's ratios.

Exceptional mechano-electronic properties in the HfN2 monolayer: a promising candidate in low-power flexible electronics, memory devices and photocatalysis

The response of the electronic properties of the HfN₂ monolayer to external perturbation such as strain and electric fields has been investigated using density functional theory calculations for its device-based applications and photocatalysis.

Gold adatoms modulate sulfur adsorption on gold

Sulfur adsorption on Au(111) at high coverage has been studied by density functional calculations. In this case S species organize into rectangular structures containing 8 S atoms irrespective of the S source, which have been alternatively assigned to adsorbed monomeric S, adsorbed S₂, adsorbed monomeric plus S₂ species, and gold sulfide. We found that monomeric S at the high coverage organizes into S₂ species that are stabilized into the 8-S structures by Au adatoms, forming gold disulfide complexes (Au-(S₂)₄). The Au atoms could be provided by decomposition of more diluted AuS₃ containing phases, as recently proposed, and direct removal from terraces and step edges, both explaining the surface coverage of vacancy islands coexisting with the 8-S structures. The gold-disulfide complexes capture the disorder shown in the experimental STM images, explain the intrigued features of XPS, and also, give a smooth pathway to gold sulfide formation at higher temperatures. More importantly, the gold-disulfide complexes allow a unified picture of the gold-sulfur surface chemistry at high coverage for thiols and adsorbed sulfur species where the surface chemistry remains under discussion.