Experimental Realization of Monolayer α‐Tellurene

Abstract

Abstract2D materials emerge as a versatile platform for developing next‐generation devices. The experimental realization of novel artificial 2D atomic crystals, which does not have bulk counterparts in nature, is still challenging and always requires new physical or chemical processes. Monolayer α‐tellurene is predicted to be a stable 2D allotrope of tellurium (Te), which has great potential for applications in high‐performance field‐effect transistors. However, the synthesis of monolayer α‐tellurene remains elusive because of its complex lattice configuration, in which the Te atoms are stacked in tri‐layers in an octahedral fashion. Here, a self‐assemble approach, using three atom‐long Te chains derived from the dynamic non‐equilibrium growth of an a‐Si:Te alloy as building blocks, is reported for the epitaxial growth of monolayer α‐tellurene on a Sb2Te3 substrate. By combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy with density functional theory calculations, the surface morphology and electronic structure of monolayer α‐tellurene are revealed and the underlying growth mechanism is determined. The successful synthesis of monolayer α‐tellurene opens up the possibility for the application of this new single‐element 2D material in advanced electronic devices.

Z-scheme Al2SeTe/GaSe and Al2SeTe/InS van der Waals heterostructures for photocatalytic water splitting

“…14 Since the successful synthesis of graphene in 2004, 15 plenty of two-dimensional (2D) materials with attractive physical and chemical properties have caught researchers' attention. [16][17][18][19][20][21] For instance, the single-layer MoS 2 exhibits a high level of photocatalytic stability under irradiation with visible light of intensities exceeding 10 mW mm À2 , which substantiates its potential as a photocatalyst for water splitting. 22 Artificial 2D materials exhibit many advantages for photocatalytic water splitting over conventional photocatalysts, such as a high ratio of exposed surface atoms and short carrier migration distance.…”