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Two-dimensional superconducting MoSi2N4(MoN)4n homologous compounds.
- Source :
- National Science Review; Apr2023, Vol. 10 Issue 4, p1-8, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- The number and stacking order of layers are two important degrees of freedom that can modulate the properties of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials. However, the layers' structures are essentially limited to the known layered 3D vdW materials. Recently, a new 2D vdW material, MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>, without known 3D counterparts, was synthesized by passivating the surface dangling bonds of non-layered 2D molybdenum nitride with elemental silicon, whose monolayer can be viewed as a monolayer MoN (-N-Mo-N-) sandwiched between two Si-N layers. This unique sandwich structure endows the MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> monolayer with many fascinating properties and intriguing applications, and the surface-passivating growth method creates the possibility of tuning the layer's structure of 2D vdW materials. Here we synthesized a series of MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>(MoN)<subscript>4n</subscript> structures confined in the matrix of multilayer MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>. These super-thick monolayers are the homologous compounds of MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>, which can be viewed as multilayer MoN (Mo<subscript>4n+1</subscript>N<subscript>4n+2</subscript>) sandwiched between two Si-N layers. First-principles calculations show that MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>(MoN)<subscript>4</subscript> monolayers have much higher Young's modulus than MoN, which is attributed to the strong Si-N bonds on the surface. Importantly, different from the semiconducting nature of the MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> monolayer, the MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>(MoN)<subscript>4</subscript> monolayer is identified as a superconductor with a transition temperature of 9.02 K. The discovery of MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>(MoN)<subscript>4n</subscript> structures not only expands the family of 2D materials but also brings a new degree of freedom to tailor the structure of 2D vdW materials, which may lead to unexpected novel properties and applications. We discovered superconducting homologous compounds of 2D MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>, MoSi<subscript>2</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>(MoN)<subscript>4n</subscript>, which provides a new strategy to tailor the structure and properties of 2D materials by phase homology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20955138
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- National Science Review
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 163074724
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwac273