Issue 2, 2021

Self-passivation leads to semiconducting edges of black phosphorene

Abstract

The edges of black phosphorene (BP) have been extensively explored. The previous experimental observations that all the BP edges are semiconducting implies that the as-cut edges of BP tend to be reconstructed. Here we present a global structural search of three typical BP edges, namely armchair, zigzag and zigzag-1 edges. It is found that all the three pristine edges are metastable, and all of them can be quickly self-passivated by (i) forming P[double bond, length as m-dash]P double bonds (one σ and one π bond), (ii) reconstructing new polygonal rings will all P atoms bonded with three sp3 bonds or (iii) forming a special P(2)–P(4) configuration with a two-coordinated P atom accommodating two lone pair electrons and one four-coordinated P atom without lone pair electrons. Highly different from the pristine edges, all these highly stable reconstructed edges are semiconducting. This study showed that the reconstruction of the edges of a 2D material, just like the surfaces of a 3D crystal, must be considered for both fundamental studies and practical applications. Besides BP, this study also sheds light on the structures and properties of the edges of many other 2D materials.

Graphical abstract: Self-passivation leads to semiconducting edges of black phosphorene

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
19 aug 2020
Accepted
02 dec 2020
First published
14 dec 2020

Nanoscale Horiz., 2021,6, 148-155

Self-passivation leads to semiconducting edges of black phosphorene

L. P. Ding and F. Ding, Nanoscale Horiz., 2021, 6, 148 DOI: 10.1039/D0NH00506A

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