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Water-Induced Bandgap Engineering in Nanoribbons of Hexagonal Boron Nitride.

Authors :
Chen C
Hang Y
Wang HS
Wang Y
Wang X
Jiang C
Feng Y
Liu C
Janzen E
Edgar JH
Wei Z
Guo W
Hu W
Zhang Z
Wang H
Xie X
Source :
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) [Adv Mater] 2023 Sep; Vol. 35 (36), pp. e2303198. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jul 12.
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Different from hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) sheets, the bandgap of hBN nanoribbons (BNNRs) can be changed by spatial/electrostatic confinement. It is predicted that a transverse electric field can narrow the bandgap and even cause an insulator-metal transition in BNNRs. However, experimentally introducing an overhigh electric field across the BNNR remains challenging. Here, it is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that water adsorption greatly reduces the bandgap of zigzag-oriented BNNRs (zBNNRs). Ab initio calculations show that water molecules can be favorably assembled within the trench between two adjacent BNNRs to form a polar ice layer, which induces a transverse equivalent electric field of over 2 V nm <superscript>-1</superscript> accounting for the bandgap reduction. Field-effect transistors are successfully fabricated from zBNNRs with different widths. The conductance of water-adsorbed zBNNRs can be tuned over 3 orders in magnitude via modulation of the equivalent electrical field at room temperature. Furthermore, photocurrent response measurements are taken to determine the optical bandgaps of zBNNRs with water adsorption. The zBNNR with increased width can exhibit a bandgap down to 1.17 eV. This study offers fundamental insights into new routes toward realizing electronic/optoelectronic devices and circuits based on hexagonal boron nitride.<br /> (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1521-4095
Volume :
35
Issue :
36
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
37400106
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202303198