We study the electronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) group-III nitrides BN, AlN, GaN, InN, and TlN by first-principles approaches. With increasing group-III atomic number, a decrease of the electronic gap from 6.7 eV to 0 eV takes place. 2D GaN and 2D InN in honeycomb geometry present a direct gap at Γ, while the honeycomb structures of BN and AlN tend to be indirect semiconductors with the valence band maximum at K. Alloying of the nitrides allows tuning the gap with cation composition. Interestingly, InxN and InxN alloys enable, with varying x, to construct type I or type II heterostructures. We demonstrate that it is possible to tailor the electronic and optical response from UV to IR. We suggest that 2D InGaN and InTlN heterostructures may efficiently harvest light and serve as building blocks for a future generation of III–V solar cells. Finally, 2D InTlN with a low In content is eligible as the emitter and detector for THz applications.
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2 January 2017
Research Article|
January 05 2017
Tunable electronic properties of two-dimensional nitrides for light harvesting heterostructures
Maria Stella Prete;
Maria Stella Prete
1Dipartimento di Fisica,
Università di Roma ‘Tor Vergata’
, Rome, Italy
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Adriano Mosca Conte;
Adriano Mosca Conte
2Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche,
CNR-ISMN
, and MIFP, Rome, Italy
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Paola Gori
;
Paola Gori
3Engineering Department,
Università Roma Tre
, Rome, Italy
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Friedhelm Bechstedt
;
Friedhelm Bechstedt
4IFTO,
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität and ETSF
, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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Olivia Pulci
Olivia Pulci
5Dipartimento di Fisica, and INFN,
Università di Roma ‘Tor Vergata’
, Rome, Italy
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Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 012103 (2017)
Article history
Received:
November 02 2016
Accepted:
December 26 2016
Citation
Maria Stella Prete, Adriano Mosca Conte, Paola Gori, Friedhelm Bechstedt, Olivia Pulci; Tunable electronic properties of two-dimensional nitrides for light harvesting heterostructures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2 January 2017; 110 (1): 012103. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973753
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