High temperature stability, metallic character and bonding of the Si₂BN planar structure

Abstract

The family of monolayered Si2BN structures constitute a new class of 2D materials exhibiting metallic character with remarkable stability. Topologically, these structures are very similar to graphene, forming a slightly distorted honeycomb lattice generated by a union of two basic motifs with AA and AB stacking. In the present work we study in detail the structural and electronic properties of these structures in order to understand the factors which are responsible for their structural differences as well as those which are responsible for their metallic behavior and bonding. Their high temperature stability is demonstrated by the calculations of finite temperature phonon modes which show no negative contributions up to and beyond 1000 K. Presence of the negative thermal expansion coefficient, a common feature of one-atom thick 2D structures, is also seen. Comparison of the two motifs reveal the main structural differences to be the differences in their bond angles, which are affected by the third nearest neighbor interactions of cis–trans type. On the other hand, the electronic properties of these two structures are very similar, including the charge transfers occurring between orbitals and between atoms. Their metallicity is mainly due to the p z orbitals of Si with a minor contribution from the p z orbitals of B, while the contribution from the p z orbitals of N atoms is negligible. There is almost no contributions from the N p z electrons to the energy states near the Fermi level, and they form a band well below it. I.e., the p z electrons of N are localized mostly at the N atoms and therefore cannot be considered as mobile electrons of the p z cloud. Moreover, we show that due to the relative positions in the energy axis of the atomic energies of the p z orbitals of B, N and Si atoms, the density of states (DOS) of Si2BN can be considered qualitatively as a combination of the DOS of planar hexagonal BN (h-BN) and hypothetically planar silicene (ph-Si). As a result, the Si2BN behaves electronically at the Fermi level as slightly perturbed ph-Si, having very similar electronic properties as silicene, but with the advantage of having kinetic stability in planar form. As for the bonding, the Si–Si bonds are covalent, while the π back donation mechanism occurs for the B–N bonding, in accordance with the B–N bonding in h-BN.

Decoupling 1D and 2D features of 2D sp-nanoribbons—the megatom model

“…Very recently, the authors of the present work have proposed a stable graphene-like single layered Si 2 BN structure that is free of dangling bonds and entirely flat with unusual sp 2 like bonding for all Si atoms [19,20]. Soon after its discovery, the Si 2 BN structure has attracted the interest of the scientific community and several reports about its potential use in a number of applications have been published since then [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37].…”

“…From our preliminary calculations [38], it has been found that Si 2 BN-nanoribbons (Si 2 BN-NR) exhibit oscillating band gaps as a function of their widths. One of the major characteristics of this oscillation reveals its indirect relationship with the atomic conformation of the unit cell used in the periodic boundary conditions which are applied along its axial axis (xaxis).…”

Stability of and conduction in single-walled Si$_2$BN nanotubes

“…The Si 2 BN is a particular 2D material that is currently attracting significant attention due to its potential use in batteries [14]. The theoretical prediction of Si 2 BN nanosheet displayed graphene-like planar structure [15][16][17], having Si-Si-B-N arrangement similar to graphene. Si 2 BN sheets show high formation energy similar to graphene and h-BN monolayers, dynamic stability, as well as stability at elavated temperatures.…”