Theoretical overview of black phosphorus

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive theoretical overview of the optical, electronic, optoelectronic, thermoelectric, and mechanical properties of few-layer black phosphorus, emphasizing its anisotropic characteristics.

Contribution

It offers a detailed tutorial-like discussion of black phosphorus's properties and their theoretical models, highlighting its anisotropic nature.

Findings

Black phosphorus exhibits strong optical linear dichroism.

It has elliptical plasmonic energy surfaces.

Black phosphorus shows highly anisotropic electronic and thermal conductivities.

Abstract

We review the basic optical, electronic, optoelectronic, thermoelectric and mechanical properties of few-layer black phosphorus (BP), a layered semiconductor that can be exfoliated from bulk BP, the most stable allotrope of phosphorus. The distinguishing trait of BP is its highly anisotropic crystal structure, which leads to strong optical linear dichroism, elliptical plasmonics energy surfaces, anisotropic electronic and thermal conductivities and elasticity. We provide tutorial-like discussion of these phenomena and their theoretical models.