Angstrom-wide conductive channels in black phosphorus by Cu intercalation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the creation of angstrom-wide conductive channels in black phosphorus through copper intercalation, revealing atomic-scale structural and electronic modifications using advanced microscopy and computational methods.

Contribution

It introduces a novel atomic-scale intercalation technique in black phosphorus, enabling controlled formation of conductive channels at angstrom precision.

Findings

Formation of ~4.3 Å wide conductive channels in black phosphorus

Detailed atomic structure and intercalation mechanism elucidated

Local electronic properties modulated by Cu intercalation

Abstract

Intercalation is an effective method to improve and modulate properties of two-dimensional materials. Even so, spatially controlled intercalation at atomic scale, which is important to introduce and modulated properties, has not been successful due to difficulties in controlling the diffusion of intercalants. Here, we show formation of angstrom-wide conductive channels (~4.3 A) in black phosphorus by Cu intercalation. The atomic structure, resultant microstructural effects, intercalation mechanism, and local variations of electronic properties modulated in black phosphorus by Cu intercalation were investigated extensively by transmission electron microscopy including in situ observation, DFT calculation, and conductive atomic force microscopy.