Structural Transition in Layered As$_{\sf\textbf{1-x}}$P$_{\sf\textbf{x}}$ Compounds: A Computational Study

As a way to further improve the electronic properties of group V layered semiconductors, we propose to form in-layer 2D heterostructures of black phosphorus and grey arsenic. We use \textit{ab initio} density functional theory to optimize the geometry, determine the electronic structure, and identify the most stable allotropes as a function of composition. Since pure black phosphorus and pure grey arsenic monolayers differ in their equilibrium structure, we predict a structural transition and a change in frontier states, including a change from a direct-gap to an indirect-gap semiconductor, with changing composition.