The interface between metals and semiconductors plays an essential role in two-dimensional electronic heterostructures, which has provided an alternative opportunity to realize next-generation electronic devices. Lattice-matched two-dimensional heterointerfaces have been achieved in polymorphic 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides MX2 with M = (W, Mo) and X = (Te, Se, S) through phase engineering; yet other transition-metal chalcogenides have been rarely reported. Here we show that a single layer of hexagonal Cu2Te crystal could be synthesized by one-step liquid-solid interface growth and exfoliation. Characterizations of atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscope reveal that the Cu2Te monolayer consists of two lattice-matched distinct phases, similar to the 1T and 1T' phases of MX2. The scanning tunneling spectra identify the coexistence of the metallic 1T and semiconducting 1T' phases within the chemically homogeneous Cu2Te crystals, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Moreover, the two phases could form nanoscale lattice-matched metal-semiconductor junctions with atomically sharp interfaces. These results suggest a promising potential for exploiting atomic-scale electronic devices in 2D materials.
Keywords: Cu2Te; lattice-matched interface; metal−semiconductor junctions; scanning tunneling microscope; transition-metal dichalcogenides; two-dimensional heterostructure.