Nanoscale synthesis of ionic analogues of bilayer silicene with high carrier mobility

Design of materials with special properties benefits from establishing deep structural and electronic analogies between emerging and existing materials. The Zintl anion [Al2Si2](2-) is both isostructural and isoelectronic to bilayer silicene; it thus makes a promising building block to assemble electronic materials. Here, we show that nanoscale films of SrAl2Si2, a semimetal formed by alternating [Al2Si2] and Sr layers, exhibit a high carrier mobility, exceeding 10 000 cm(2) V-1 s(-1). The dominant role of the anionic bilayers in the electronic structure and transport properties is established by band structure calculations. To synthesize monocrystalline epitaxial films of SrAl2Si2 with atomically sharp interfaces, a general two-step route involving a sacrificial 2D template is devised. A distinct advantage of the films is their natural integration with silicon technology. The results establish a platform for engineering layered ionic nanomaterials.

Automated summary

The design of materials with special properties can benefit from establishing deep structural and electronic analogies between emerging and existing materials. In this study, nanoscale films of SrAl2Si2 were shown to exhibit a high carrier mobility, exceeding 10,000 cm(2) V-1 s(-1), due to the dominant role of anionic bilayers in the electronic structure and transport properties. The results provide a platform for engineering layered ionic nanomaterials.