First-principles investigation of the valley and electrical properties of carbon-dopedα-graphyne-like BN sheet

Based on ab initio density functional theory calculations,we demonstrate that two carbon-doped boron nitride analog ofα-graphyne structures,B_(3) C_(2) N_(3)) and BC_(6) N monolayers,are two-dimensional direct wide band gap semiconductors,and there are two inequivalent valleys in the vicinities of the vertices of their hexagonal Brillouin zones.Besides,B_(3)C_(2)N_(3) and BC_(6)N monolayers exhibit relatively high carrier mobilities,and their direct band gap feature is robust against the biaxial strain.More importantly,the energetically most favorable B_(3)C_(2)N_(3) and BC_(6)N bilayers also have direct wide band gaps,and valley polarization could be achieved by optical helicity.Finally,we show that BC_(6) N monolayer might have high efficiency in photo-splitting reactions of water,and a vertical van der Waals heterostructure with a type-Ⅱenergy band alignment could be designed using B_(3)C_(2)N_(3)and BC_(6)N monolayers.All the above-mentioned characteristics make B_(3)C_(2)N_(3) and BC_(6)N monolayers,bilayers,and their heterostructures recommendable candidates for applications in valleytronic devices,metal-free photocatalysts,and photovoltaic cells.