Single-layer ferromagnetic and piezoelectric CoAsS with pentagonal structure

Single-layer pentagonal materials are an emerging family of two-dimensional (2D) materials that could exhibit novel properties due to the building blocks being pentagons instead of hexagons as in numerous 2D materials. Based on our recently predicted single-layer pentagonal CoS ₂ that is an antiferromagnetic (AFM) semiconductor, we replace two S atoms by As atoms in a unit cell to form single-layer pentagonal CoAsS. The resulting single-layer material is dynamically stable according to the phonon calculations. We find two drastic changes in the properties of single-layer pentagonal CoAsS in comparison with those of CoS ₂ . First, we find a magnetic transition from the AFM to FM ordering. We understand that the transition is caused by the lower electronegativity of As atoms, leading to the weakened bridging roles on the superexchange interactions between Co ions. Single-layer pentagonal CoAsS also shows significantly stronger magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy due to stronger spin-orbit coupling. We additionally perform Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the Curie temperature of single-layer pentagonal CoAsS and the predicted Curie temperature is 95 K. Second, we find that single-layer pentagonal CoAsS exhibits piezoelectricity, which is absent in single-layer pentagonal CoS ₂ due to its center of symmetry. The computed piezoelectric coefficients are also sizable. The rare coexistence of FM ordering and piezoelectricity makes single-layer pentagonal CoAsS a promising multifunctional 2D material.