Direct band gaps in group IV-VI monolayer materials: Binary counterparts of phosphorene

We perform systematic investigation on the geometric, energetic, and electronic properties of group IV-VI binary monolayers (XY), which are the counterparts of phosphorene, by employing density functional theory based electronic structure calculations. For this purpose, we choose the binary systems XY consisting of equal numbers of group IV (X = C, Si, Ge, Sn) and group VI elements (Y = O, S, Se, Te) in three geometrical configurations, the puckered, buckled and planar structures. The results of binding energy calculations show that all the binary systems studied are energetically stable. It is observed that, the puckered structure, similar to that of phosphorene, is the energetically most stable geometric configuration. Moreover, the binding energies of buckled configuration are very close to those of the puckered configuration. Our results of electronic band structure predict that puckered SiO and CSe are direct band semiconductors with gaps of 1.449 and 0.905 eV, respectively. Band structure of CSe closely resembles that of phosphorene. Remaining group IV-VI binary monolayers in the puckered configuration and all the buckled monolayers are also semiconductors, but with indirect band gaps. Importantly, we find that the difference between indirect and direct band gaps is very small for many puckered monolayers. Thus there is a possibility of making these systems undergo transition from indirect to direct band gap semiconducting state by a suitable external influence. Indeed, we show in the present work that seven binary monolayers, namely, SnS, SiSe, GeSe, SnSe, SiTe, GeTe, and SnTe become direct band gap semiconductors when they are subjected to a small mechanical strain (<= 3%). This makes nine out of sixteen binary monolayers studied in the present work direct band gap semiconductors. Thus there is a possibility of utilizing these binary counterparts of phosphorene in future light-emitting diodes and solar cells.