2D quasi-layered material with domino structure.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37940641.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-42818-x and PMC identifier 10632391.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Interlayer coupling strength dichotomizes two-dimensional (2D) materials into layered and non-layered types. Traditionally, they can be regarded as atomic layers intrinsically linked via van der Waals (vdW) forces or covalent bonds, oriented orthogonally to their growth plane. In our work, we report a material system that differentiates from layered and non-layered materials, termed quasi-layered domino-structured (QLDS) materials, effectively bridging the gap between these two typical categories. Considering the skewed structure, the force orthogonal to the 2D QLDS-GaTe growth plane constitutes a synergistic blend of vdW forces and covalent bonds, with neither of them being perpendicular to the 2D growth plane. This unique amalgamation results in a force that surpasses that in layered materials, yet is weaker than that in non-layered materials. Therefore, the lattice constant contraction along this unique orientation can be as much as 7.7%, tantalizingly close to the theoretical prediction of 10.8%. Meanwhile, this feature endows remarkable anisotropy, second harmonic generation enhancement with a staggering susceptibility of 394.3 pm V<sup>-1</sup>. These findings endow further applications arranged in nonlinear optics, sensors, and catalysis.