Unlocking the Potential of Nanoribbon-Based SbS/SbSe van-der-Waals Heterostructure for Solar-Energy-Conversion and Optoelectronics Applications.

High-performance nanosized optoelectronic devices based on van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have significant potential for use in a variety of applications. However, the investigation of nanoribbon-based vdW heterostructures are still mostly unexplored. In this study, based on first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that a SbS/SbSe vdW heterostructure, which is formed by isostructural nanoribbons of stibnite (SbS) and antimonselite (SbSe), possesses a direct band gap with a typical type-II band alignment, which is suitable for optoelectronics and solar energy conversion.

Franckeite as an Exfoliable Naturally Occurring Topological Insulator.

Franckeite is a natural superlattice composed of two alternating layers of different composition which has shown potential for optoelectronic applications. In part, the interest in franckeite lies in its layered nature which makes it easy to exfoliate into very thin heterostructures. Not surprisingly, its chemical composition and lattice structure are so complex that franckeite has escaped screening protocols and high-throughput searches of materials with nontrivial topological properties.