2D Atomic Materials Research Articles

Nanohybrid Photodetectors

Nanohybrids represent a larger variety of functional materials consisting of one or more types of low‐dimensional semiconductor nanostructures, such as quantum dots, nanowires, nanotubes, 2D atomic materials (graphene, transition‐metal dichalcogenides, etc.) interfaced with one another, and/or with conventional material matrices (bulks, films, polymers, etc.). Heterojunction interfaces are characteristic in nanohybrids and play a critical role facilitating synergistic coupling of constituent materials of different functionalities, resulting in excellent electronic, optoelectronic, and mechanical properties. Therefore, nanohybrids provide fresh opportunities for designs of optoelectronic devices of extraordinary performance in addition to the benefits of low cost, large abundance, flexibility, and light weight. Herein, some recent achievements in exploiting new optoelectronic nanohybrids and understanding the underlying physics toward high‐performance optoelectronic nanohybrids that are competitive in commercialization of various optoelectronic devices are highlighted. Using nanohybrid photodetectors as an example, the importance in controlling the heterojunction interfaces and multiscale controlling of optoelectronic process of light absorption, exciton dissociation, photocarrier transfer, and transport from atomic to device scales and how this control impacts the photodetector performance are revealed. The current status, remaining challenges, and future perspectives in optoelectronic nanohybrids are also discussed.

Random Coherent Perfect Absorption with 2D Atomic Materials Mediated by Anderson Localization

Tailoring the spatiotemporal confinement of light with two-dimensional (2D) atomic materials is critical to harnessing their unique and attractive optoelectronic properties. Here, we report on the interplay between the localization of light within a disordered medium and the extreme material and loss localization afforded by deeply subwavelength (∼λ0/5000) single-layer 2D atomic materials. Structures in the regime of Anderson localization are found to support a condition termed “random coherent perfect absorption” (RCPA). This yields an array of optical effects that are unachievable in conventional lossy random media, including >99.9% absorption with Q-factors ranging from ∼102 to 106, Fano-resonance behavior in 1D, coexistence of RCPA and extraordinary transmission, and angle-selective conditions supporting the coalescence of all random modes toward perfect absorption.

Toward negligible charge loss in charge injection memories based on vertically integrated 2D heterostructures

Two-dimensional (2D) crystals have a multitude of forms, including semi-metals, semiconductors, and insulators, which are ideal for assembling isolated 2D atomic materials to create van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures. Recently, artificially-stacked materials have been considered promising candidates for nanoelectronic and optoelectronic applications. In this study, we report the vertical integration of layered structures for the fabrication of prototype non-volatile memory devices. A semiconducting-tungsten-disulfide-channel-based memory device is created by sandwiching high-density-of-states multi-layered graphene as a carrier-confining layer between tunnel barriers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and silicon dioxide. The results reveal that a memory window of up to 20 V is opened, leading to a high current ratio (>103) between programming and erasing states. The proposed design combination produced layered materials that allow devices to attain perfect retention at 13% charge loss after 10 years, offering new possibilities for the integration of transparent, flexible electronic systems.

Tinselenidene: a Two-dimensional Auxetic Material with Ultralow Lattice Thermal Conductivity and Ultrahigh Hole Mobility.

By means of extensive ab initio calculations, a new two-dimensional (2D) atomic material tin selenide monolayer (coined as tinselenidene) is predicted to be a semiconductor with an indirect gap (~1.45 eV) and a high hole mobility (of order 10000 cm2V−1S−1), and will bear an indirect-direct gap transition under a rather low strain (<0.5 GPa). Tinselenidene has a very small Young’s modulus (20–40 GPa) and an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity (<3 Wm−1K−1 at 300 K), making it probably the most flexible and most heat-insulating material in known 2D atomic materials. In addition, tinseleniden has a large negative Poisson’s ratio of −0.17, thus could act as a 2D auxetic material. With these intriguing properties, tinselenidene could have wide potential applications in thermoelectrics, nanomechanics and optoelectronics.

Strain and the optoelectronic properties of nonplanar phosphorene monolayers

Lattice kirigami, ultralight metamaterials, polydisperse aggregates, ceramic nanolattices, and 2D atomic materials share an inherent structural discreteness, and their material properties evolve with their shape. To exemplify the intimate relation among material properties and the local geometry, we explore the properties of phosphorene--a new 2D atomic material--in a conical structure, and document a decrease of the semiconducting gap that is directly linked to its nonplanar shape. This geometrical effect occurs regardless of phosphorene allotrope considered, and it provides a unique optical vehicle to single out local structural defects on this 2D material. We also classify other 2D atomic materials in terms of their crystalline unit cells, and propose means to obtain the local geometry directly from their diverse 2D structures while bypassing common descriptions of shape that are based from a parametric continuum.