Tunable electronic properties of silicene/GaP heterobilayer: Effects of electric field or biaxial tensile strain

We systematically investigate the electronic properties the two-dimensional (2D) silicene/GaP heterobilayer by using density functional theory calculations. We find the silicene and GaP monolayer are bounded to each other via orbital hybridization, and the charge redistribution occurring at the silicene/GaP interface leads to the opening of a direct energy band gap of about 0.997 eV in silicene. Importantly, by applying external electric field, the band structure of silicene/GaP heterostructure can be effectively modulated, and a semiconductor-metal transition even emerges. These intriguing properties make the silicene/GaP heterobilayer a promising 2D material for future electronics and strain sensors. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.