Anomalous Phonon Behavior and Tunable Exciton Emissions: Insights into Pressure-Driven Dynamics in Silicon Phosphide

Nano Lett. 2024 Jul 3;24(26):8189-8197. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02250. Epub 2024 Jun 21.

Abstract

IV-V two-dimensional materials have emerged as key contenders for polarization-sensitive and angle-resolved devices, given their inherent anisotropic physical properties. While these materials exhibit intriguing high-pressure quasi-particle behavior and phase transition, the evolution of quasi-particles and their interactions under external pressure remain elusive. Here, employing a diamond anvil cell and spectroscopic measurements coupled with first-principles calculations, we unveil rarely observed pressure-induced phonon-phonon coupling in layered SiP flakes. This coupling manifests as an anomalous phonon hardening behavior for the A1 mode within a broad wavenumber phonon softening region. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effective tuning of exciton emissions in SiP flakes under pressure, revealing a remarkable 63% enhancement in the degree of polarization (DOP) within the pressure range of 0-3.5 GPa. These findings contribute to our understanding of high-pressure phonon evolution in SiP materials and offer a strategic approach to manipulate the anisotropic performance of in-plane anisotropic 2D materials.

Keywords: Diamond anvil cell; In-plane anisotropic; Optical characterizations; Phonon−phonon coupling; Two-dimensional (2D) materials.