Mastering the growth of antimonene on Bi2Se3: Strategies and insights

Antimonene, the two-dimensional phase of antimony, appears in two distinct allotropes when epitaxially grown on Bi2Se3: the puckered asymmetric washboard (α) and buckled honeycomb (β) bilayer structures. As-deposited antimony films exhibit varying proportions of single α and β structures. We identify the conditions necessary for ordered, pure-phase growth of single to triple β-antimonene bilayers. Additionally, we determine their electronic structure, work function, and characteristic core-level binding energies, offering an explanation for the relatively large chemical shifts observed among the different phases. This study not only establishes a protocol for achieving a single β phase of antimonene but also provides key signatures for distinguishing between the different allotropes using standard spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.