Electric field induced insulator to metal transition in a buckled GaAs monolayer

Abstract

We investigate the electronic properties of two-dimensional buckled honeycomb GaAs in the presence of an external electric field using first principles calculations. The energy gap of buckled GaAs is tuned by applying a transverse electric field. Closing of the gap occurs at the Γ-point for different values of the applied transverse electric field because of the mixing of orbitals. The perpendicular electric field drives insulator to metal transition in the buckled GaAs monolayer as well as modifying the band structure near the Fermi level. The tunability of the band gap in the presence of an applied electric field suggests that buckled GaAs is a promising candidate material for future electronic devices and spintronics on the nanoscale.