A Natural 2D Heterostructure [Pb3.1Sb0.9S4][AuxTe2-x] with Large Transverse Nonsaturating Negative Magnetoresistance and High Electron Mobility

Haijie Chen, Jiangang He, Christos D. Malliakas, Constantinos C. Stoumpos, Alexander J.E. Rettie, Jin Ke Bao, Duck Young Chung, Wai Kwong Kwok, Christopher Wolverton, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the two-dimensional (2D) natural heterostructure [Pb3.1Sb0.9S4][AuxTe2-x] (x = 0.52-0.36) which shows anomalous, transverse nonsaturating negative magnetoresistance (MR). For x = 0.52, the material has a commensurately modulated structure with alternating [Pb3.1Sb0.9S4] rocksalt layers and atomically thin [AuxTe2-x] sheets, as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using a (3 + 1)-dimensional space group; for other x compositions, the modulated structure is absent and the Au and Te atoms are disordered. The transport properties in this system at low temperature (<100 K) are dominated by an unusual 2D hopping mechanism, while at room temperature a high carrier mobility of 1352 cm2 V-1 s-1 is obtained (x = 0.36). The confined electrons within the [AuxTe2-x] layers are also exposed to interlayer coupling with the insulating [Pb3.1Sb0.9S4] layers, and as a result, the properties of the heterostructures emerge not only from the constituent layers but also the interactions between them. Furthermore, the various Au and Te coordination patterns found in the [AuxTe2-x] sheets as a function of x further contribute to a unique electronic structure that leads to the anomalous nonsaturating negative MR with different field dependent behaviors. First-principles calculations indicate that the [AuxTe2-x] sheets are responsible for the unusual electrical transport properties in this 2D system.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7544-7553
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume141
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 11 2019

Funding

Work at Argonne National Laboratory primarily was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division. SEM-EDS work was performed by use of the EPIC, Keck-II, and/or SPID facilities of Northwestern University’s NUANCE Center, which is supported by the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource (NSF ECCS-1542205), the MRSEC program (NSF DMR-1121262) at the Materials Research Center, the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN), the Keck Foundation, and the State of Illinois, through the IIN. This research used resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. We thank Aifeng Wang at Brookhaven National Laboratory for useful discussions on the MR analysis.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • General Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Colloid and Surface Chemistry

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