I–V characteristics of an atomically thin graphene-boron nitride heterostructure

Abstract

Through recent advancement in nanofabrication techniques, the complex interfaces between different materials have been routinely fabricated and intensely studied. In this context, two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures have attracted great interest from both fundamental and applied perspectives due to its potential applications in next-generation optoelectronic devices. In this work, using a quantum mechanical method based on real-time-propagation time dependent density functional theory (rt-TDDFT) simulations, we study the ultrafast charge transport dynamics and I–V characteristics of vertically stacked graphene/h-BN heterostructure subjected to external bias voltage in the range of 0.25 to 2 eV. Among other insights, our study demonstrates ultrafast charge transport dynamics at the sub-femtosecond time scale and distinctive I–V characteristics analogous to a parallel plate capacitor.