Tungsten Nitride (W5N6): An Ultraresilient 2D Semimetal
Journal
Nano Letters
Journal Volume
24
Journal Issue
1
Start Page
67
End Page
73
ISSN
1530-6984
1530-6992
Date Issued
2023-12-27
Author(s)
Hao-Ting Chin
Deng-Chi Wang
Desman Perdamaian Gulo
Yu-Chi Yao
Hao-Chen Yeh
Jeyavelan Muthu
Ding-Rui Chen
Tzu-Chun Kao
Martin Kalbáč
Ping-Hui Lin
Cheng-Maw Cheng
Hsiang-Lin Liu
Feng-Chuan Chuang
Ya-Ping Hsieh
Abstract
Two-dimensional transition metal nitrides offer intriguing possibilities for achieving novel electronic and mechanical functionality owing to their distinctive and tunable bonding characteristics compared to other 2D materials. We demonstrate here the enabling effects of strong bonding on the morphology and functionality of 2D tungsten nitrides. The employed bottom-up synthesis experienced a unique substrate stabilization effect beyond van-der-Waals epitaxy that favored W5N6 over lower metal nitrides. Comprehensive structural and electronic characterization reveals that monolayer W5N6 can be synthesized at large scale and shows semimetallic behavior with an intriguing indirect band structure. Moreover, the material exhibits exceptional resilience against mechanical damage and chemical reactions. Leveraging these electronic properties and robustness, we demonstrate the application of W5N6 as atomic-scale dry etch stops that allow the integration of high-performance 2D materials contacts. These findings highlight the potential of 2D transition metal nitrides for realizing advanced electronic devices and functional interfaces.
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Type
journal article