Solution-Based Synthesis of Layered Intergrowth Compounds of the Homologous Pbm Bi2n Te3n+m Series as Nanosheets

Abstract

Layered intergrowth compounds in the homologous Pbm Bi2n Te3n+m family are interesting because they are examples of natural heterostructures. We present a simple solution-based synthesis of two-dimensional nanosheets of PbBi2 Te4 , Pb2 Bi2 Te5 , and PbBi6 Te10 layered intergrowth compounds, which are members of the Pbm Bi2n Te3n+m [that is, (PbTe)m (Bi2 Te3 )n ] homologous series. Few-layer nanosheets exhibit narrow optical band gaps (0.25-0.7 eV) with semiconducting electronic-transport properties.

Keywords: intergrowth compounds; nanosheets; nanostructures; semiconductors; ternary metal chalcogenides.