Electronic and magnetic properties of the monolayer RuCl3_3: A first-principles and Monte Carlo study

Recent experiments revealed that monolayer $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ can be obtain by chemical exfoliation method and exfoliation or restacking of nanosheets can manipulate the magnetic properties of the materials. In this present paper, the electronic and magnetic properties of $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ monolayer are investigated by combining first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. From first-principles calculations, we found that the spin configuration FM corresponds to the ground state for $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$, however, the other excited zigzag oriented spin configuration has energy of 5 meV/atom higher than the ground state. Energy band gap has been obtained as $3$ meV using PBE functionals. When spin-orbit coupling effect is taken into account, corresponding energy gap is determined to be as $57$ meV. We also investigate the effect of Hubbard U energy terms on the electronic band structure of $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ monolayer and revealed band gap increases approximately linear with increasing U value. Moreover, spin-spin coupling terms ($J_1$, $J_2$, $J_3$) have been obtained using first principles calculations. By benefiting from these terms, Monte Carlo simulations with single site update Metropolis algorithm have been implemented to elucidate magnetic properties of the considered system. Thermal variations of magnetization, susceptibility and also specific heat curves indicate that monolayer $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ exhibits a phase transition between ordered and disordered phases at the Curie temperature $14.21$ K. We believe that this study can be utilized to improve two-dimensional magnet materials

High pressure study of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass and its composite

Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction was used to study the structural evolution of a bulk metallic glass (BMG) alloy and its composite with W particles under hydrostatic pressure. The diffraction data, especially the pair distribution function (PDF) of the BMG allowed the direct measurement of its elastic strain. The results suggest that PDF patterns of BMGs can be used to deducetheir strain evolution in composites as well as in monolithic form. Although the PDF method of strain measurement in amorphous alloys offers lower resolution compared to the analysis of Bragg reflections from crystalline materials, the PDF techique yields valuable information about the deformation of BMGs

Stable single-layer structure of group-V elements

In addition to stable single-layer buckled honeycomb and washboard structures of group-V elements (or pnictogens P, As, Sb, and Bi) we show that these elements can also form two-dimensional, single-layer structures consisting of buckled square and octagon rings. An extensive analysis comprising the calculation of mechanical properties, vibration frequencies, and finite-temperature ab initio molecular dynamics confirms that these structures are dynamically and thermally stable and suitable for applications at room temperature and above. All these structures are semiconductors with a fundamental band gap, which is wide for P but decreases with increasing row number. The effect of the spin-orbit coupling decreases the band gap and is found to be crucial for Sb and Bi. These results are obtained from first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. © 2016 American Physical Society

Interaction of Adatoms and Molecules with Single-Layer Arsenene Phases

Recent studies have shown that arsenic can form single-layer phases in buckled honeycomb as well as symmetric washboard structures, named as arsenene. These structures are stable even in freestanding form and are nonmagnetic semiconductors in the energy range which is suitable for various electronic applications. In this study we investigated the adsorption of selected adatoms (H, Li, B, C, N, O, Al, Si, P, Cl, Ti, Ga, Ge, As, Se, and Sb) and physisorption of molecules (H2, O2, and H2O) to these two arsene phases. Since the interaction of these adspecies with arsenene are studied using large supercells, the coupling between adspecies is minimized, and hence our results can be interpreted to mimic the effects of isolated adatom or physisorbed molecule. It is found that the adatoms form strong chemisorption bonds and hence modify the atomic structure and physical properties locally. Some of the adatoms give rise to significant local reconstruction of the atomic structure. Electronic states of some adatoms become spin polarized and attain net magnetic moments; they may even display half-metallic character at high coverage. A majority of adsorbed atoms give rise to localized states in the fundamental band gap. We showed that the interactions between H2, O2, and H2O molecules and single-layer arsenene are rather weak and do not cause any significant changes in the physical properties of these molecules, as well as those of arsenene phases. However, some of these molecules can be dissociated at the edges of the flakes of arsenene structures; their constituents are adsorbed to the edge atoms and cause local reconstructions. © 2016 American Chemical Society

Stable monolayer honeycomb-like structures of RuX2 (X=S,Se)

Recent studies show that several metal oxides and dichalcogenides (MX2), which exist in nature, can be stable in two-dimensional (2D) form and each year several new MX2 structures are explored. The unstable structures in H (hexagonal) or T (octahedral) forms can be stabilized through Peierls distortion. In this paper, we propose new 2D forms of RuS2 and RuSe2 materials. We investigate in detail the stability, electronic, magnetic, optical, and thermodynamic properties of 2D RuX2 (X=S,Se) structures from first principles. While their H and T structures are unstable, the distorted T structures (T′-RuX2) are stable and have a nonmagnetic semiconducting ground state. The molecular dynamic simulations also confirm that T′-RuX2 systems are stable even at 500 K without any structural deformation. T′-RuS2 and T′-RuSe2 have indirect band gaps with 0.745 eV (1.694 eV with HSE) and 0.798 eV (1.675 eV with HSE) gap values, respectively. We also examine their bilayer and trilayer forms and find direct and smaller band gaps. We find that AA stacking is more favorable than the AB configuration. The new 2D materials obtained can be good candidates with striking properties for applications in semiconductor electronic, optoelectronic devices, and sensor technology. © 2016 American Physical Society

High pressure study of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass and its composite

Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction was used to study the structural evolution of a bulk metallic glass (BMG) alloy and its composite with W particles under hydrostatic pressure. The diffraction data, especially the pair distribution function (PDF) of the BMG allowed the direct measurement of its elastic strain. The results suggest that PDF patterns of BMGs can be used to deducetheir strain evolution in composites as well as in monolithic form. Although the PDF method of strain measurement in amorphous alloys offers lower resolution compared to the analysis of Bragg reflections from crystalline materials, the PDF techique yields valuable information about the deformation of BMGs

Fundamentals, progress, and future directions of nitride-based semiconductors and their composites in two-dimensional limit: A first-principles perspective to recent synthesis

Potential applications of bulk GaN and AlN crystals have made possible single and multilayer allotropes of these III-V compounds to be a focus of interest recently. As of 2005, the theoretical studies have predicted that GaN and AlN can form two-dimensional (2D) stable, single-layer (SL) structures being wide band gap semiconductors and showing electronic and optical properties different from those of their bulk parents. Research on these 2D structures have gained importance with recent experimental studies achieving the growth of ultrathin 2D GaN and AlN on substrates. It is expected that these two materials will open an active field of research like graphene, silicene, and transition metal dichalcogenides. This topical review aims at the evaluation of previous experimental and theoretical works until 2018 in order to provide input for further research attempts in this field. To this end, starting from three-dimensional (3D) GaN and AlN crystals, we review 2D SL and multilayer (ML) structures, which were predicted to be stable in free-standing states. These are planar hexagonal (or honeycomb), tetragonal, and square-octagon structures. First, we discuss earlier results on dynamical and thermal stability of these SL structures, as well as the predicted mechanical properties. Next, their electronic and optical properties with and without the effect of strain are reviewed and compared with those of the 3D parent crystals. The formation of multilayers, hence prediction of new periodic layered structures and also tuning their physical properties with the number of layers are other critical subjects that have been actively studied and discussed here. In particular, an extensive analysis pertaining to the nature of perpendicular interlayer bonds causing planar GaN and AlN to buckle is presented. In view of the fact that SL GaN and AlN can be fabricated only on a substrate, the question of how the properties of free-standing, SL structures are affected if they are grown on a substrate is addressed. We also examine recent works treating the composite structures of GaN and AlN joined commensurately along their zigzag and armchair edges and forming heterostructures, δ-doping, single, and multiple quantum wells, as well as core/shell structures. Finally, outlooks and possible new research directions are briefly discussed. © 2018 Author(s)