Defect-Induced Modulation of a 2D ZnO/Graphene Heterostructure: Exploring Structural and Electronic Transformations

This paper presents a theoretical study on the effects of selected defects (oxygen vacancies and substitutional Fe-Zn atoms) on the structural and electronic properties of a 2D ZnO/graphene heterostructure. Spin-polarized Hubbard- and dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT) was used to optimize the geometrical configurations of the heterostructure and to analyze the equilibrium distance, interlayer distance, adhesion energy, and bond lengths. Charge density difference (CDD) analysis and band structure calculations were also performed to study the electronic properties of the heterostructure. The results show that the presence of defects affects the interlayer distance and adhesion energy, with structures including oxygen vacancies and Fe-Zn substitutional atoms having the strongest interaction with graphene. It is demonstrated that the oxygen vacancies generate localized defect states in the ZnO bandgap and lead to a shift of both valence and conduction band positions, affecting the Schottky barrier. In contrast, Fe dopants induce strong spin polarization and high spin density localized on Fe atoms and their adjacent oxygen neighbors as well as the spin asymmetry of Schottky barriers in 2D ZnO/graphene. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the effects of graphene on the electronic and adsorption properties of 2D ZnO/graphene heterostructures. The changes in electronic properties induced by oxygen vacancies and Fe dopants can enhance the sensitivity and catalytic activity of the 2D ZnO/graphene system, making it a promising material for sensing and catalytic applications.