• Alexander Zeugner
  • Johannes Teichert
  • Martin Kaiser
  • Tatiana V. Menshchikova
  • Igor P. Rusinov
  • Anton V. Markelov
  • Evgueni V. Chulkov
  • Thomas Doert
  • Michael Ruck
  • Anna Isaeva

Halogen substitution, that is, bromine for iodine, in the series of topological BinTeI (n = 1, 2, 3) materials was conducted in order to explore the impact of anion exchange on topological electronic structure. In this proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate the applicability of the modular view on crystal and electronic structures of new Bi2TeBr and Bi3TeBr compounds. Along with the isostructural telluroiodides, they constitute a family of layered structures that are stacked from two basic building modules, 2[Bi2] and 2[BiTeX] (X = I, Br). We present solid-state synthesis, thermochemical studies, crystal growth, and crystal-structure elucidation of Bi2TeBr [space group R3m (no. 166), a = 433.04(2) pm, c = 5081.6(3) pm] and Bi3TeBr [space group R3m (no. 160), a = 437.68(3) pm, c = 3122.9(3) pm]. First-principles calculations establish the topological nature of Bi2TeBr and Bi3TeBr. General aspects of chemical bonding appear to be similar for BinTeX (X = I, Br) with the same n, so that alternation of the global gap size upon substitution is insignificant. The complex topological inversion proceeds between the states of two distinct modules, 2[Bi2] and 2[BiTeBr]; thus, the title compounds can be seen as heterostructures built via a modular principle. Furthermore, highly disordered as well as incommensurately modulated ternary phase(s) are documented near the Bi2TeBr composition. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments on BiTeBr and Bi2TeI resolve some discrepancies in prior published work.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5272-5284
Number of pages13
JournalChemistry of Materials
Volume30
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 14 Aug 2018

    Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Chemistry
  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Chemistry(all)

    Research areas

  • BITEI SINGLE-CRYSTALS, THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES, CHEMISTRY, PRESSURE, SURFACES, SCHEMES, STATES, BULK, BII3

ID: 36279527