Electronic structure, optoelectronic properties and enhanced photocatalytic response of GaN-GeC van der Waals heterostructures: A first principles study

In this work, we systematically studied the electronic structure and optical characteristics of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure composed of a single layer of GaN and GeC using first principles calculations. The GaN-GeC vdW heterostructure exhibits indirect band gap semiconductor properties and possesses type-II energy band arrangement, which will help the separation of photogenerated carriers and extend their lifetime. In addition, the band edge positions of the GaN-GeC heterostructure meet both the requirements of water oxidation and reduction energy, indicating that the photocatalysts have the potential for water decomposition. The GaN-GeC heterostructure shows obvious absorption peaks in the visible region, leading to the efficient use of solar energy. Tensile and compressive strains of up to 10% are also proposed. Tensile strain leads to an increase in the blue shift of optical absorption, whereas a red shift is observed in the case of the compressive strain. These fascinating characteristics make the GaN-GeC vdW heterostructure a highly effective photocatalyst for water splitting. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.