Correlation of Reduced Interlayer Charge Transfer with Antiphase Boundary Formation in Bi_xSn_1–xSe–NbSe₂ Heterostructures

Abstract

Heterostructures of alloyed Bi x Sn 1-x Se layers, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0, interleaved with NbSe 2 monolayers, were prepared by using the modulated elemental reactants technique to investigate the occurrence of antiphase boundaries as a function of Bi concentration. A Rietveld refinement of the c-axis structure of the x = 0.50 compound revealed a reduced gap distance between the Bi plane in the Bi x Sn 1-x Se layers and the Se plane in the NbSe 2 layers and an increased internal Se-Se plane spacing within the Bi x Sn 1-x Se layers relative to the end member compounds, suggesting increased interaction between the layers at this [a]