Issue 7, 2017 - Another structure of germanium selenide discovered in the United States

Another structure of germanium selenide found in the United States Princeton University recently issued an announcement that researchers at the university found that α-germanium selenide (α-GeSe) compound can be converted into another new form (β-GeSe) under certain conditions, which has a cyclic structure similar to graphene, and the layered structure
is more like a "ship" shape, showing superior conductive properties
.
The paper was published in the Journal of
the American Chemical Society.

Some researchers have evaluated that it has the same electrical properties
as black phosphorus.
In the latest study, the Princeton University team heated α-germanium selenide to 1200 °C at a pressure of 60,000 atmospheres, and found that it can not only evolve into a "chair" three-dimensional structure like black phosphorus, but also partially evolve into an amazing "ship" shaped structure
.
Fabien van Rohr, the paper's first author, believes that different structures determine the different electrical properties
of these compounds.
Compared with the standard "chair" shape black phosphorus and α-germanium selenide, the "ship" shaped β-germanium selenide will be more stable due to the smaller distance between layers, the layered structure will be more stable, and the electrical performance will
be better.

The researchers also found that both forms of germanium selenide have a wider band gap than black phosphorus, meaning it has more potential
than black phosphorus.
Moreover, black phosphorus shows extremely high chemical activity in air and aqueous solutions, but germanium selenide is more stable, which has become another attractive advantage
for the development of electronic products.