2016 Volume 37 Issue 8 Pages 374-379
Two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb sheet of Si and Ge, known as silicene and germanene, respectively, is a promising material for next-generation group-IV electronics. Most researchers have synthesized them by deposition of Si or Ge atoms on metal substrates. On the other hand, this paper proposes a unique technique for synthesizing these 2D honeycomb sheets on Ag-covered Si or Ge substrate by using Ag-induced layer exchange (ALEX) process. Our method enables surface segregation of Si or Ge atoms from the underlying substrate by tuning annealing condition during ALEX. We believe that the present study is a first step towards creation of 2D honeycomb sheets on a Si chip.
