First-Principles and Machine Learning Investigation of the Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of Dodecaphenylyne: A Novel Carbon Allotrope

TL;DR

This study computationally discovers a new stable carbon allotrope, Dodecaphenylyne, with unique structural, electronic, and optical properties, showing promise for advanced optoelectronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces Dodecaphenylyne as a novel carbon allotrope with detailed first-principles and machine learning-based characterization, highlighting its stability and exceptional electronic and optical features.

Findings

High thermodynamic stability with formation energy of -7.98 eV/atom.

Pronounced anisotropic electronic mobility up to 30.6×10^4 cm^2/V·s.

Significant optical absorption in visible and ultraviolet spectra.

Abstract

We report the computational discovery and characterization of Dodecaphenylyne (DP), a novel carbon allotrope with a distinctive geometric arrangement. DP structural, thermodynamic, mechanical, electronic, and optical properties were evaluated using density functional theory and a machine learning interatomic potential trained explicitly for this material. The formation energy of -7.98 eV/atom indicates high thermodynamic stability, further supported by the absence of imaginary phonon modes and the preservation of structural integrity up to 1000 K in ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Mechanical analysis reveals high in-plane stiffness with directional dependence: Young's modulus values of 469.09 GPa and 600.41 GPa along the x and y directions, respectively. Electronic band structure and projected density of states analyses confirm the DP semiconducting character. Calculations of carrier mobility using the deformation potential theory reveal pronounced anisotropy, with maximum values reaching up to $30.6 \times 10^4$ cm$^2$/V$\cdot$s (electrons, e) and $8.4 \times 10^4$ cm$^2$/V$\cdot$s (holes, h), much higher than the observed for other 2D materials. DP also exhibits anisotropic optical absorption in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum, highlighting its potential for optoelectronic applications.