Penta-AgN<sub>8</sub> Monolayer: Flat Bands Driving Magnetic and Topological Transitions from Real Chern Insulator to Double-Weyl Metal
Inspired by the rich physics of honeycomb-kagome (HK) lattices and flat-band magnetism, we predict a stable two-dimensional (2D) penta-AgN<sub>8</sub> monolayer through comprehensive tight-binding (TB) model analysis and first-principles calculations. This novel material integrates pentagonal AgN<sub>4</sub> building blocks into an effective HK superstructure, exhibiting a unique planar hexagonal geometry with hypercoordinated Ag atoms. We demonstrate that penta-AgN<sub>8</sub> is intrinsically a bipolar magnetic semiconductor (BMS) and, more notably, a magnetic real Chern insulator (MRCI) protected by <i>C</i><sub>2<i>z</i></sub><i>T</i> symmetry, featuring spin-polarized flat bands near the Fermi level, intrinsic in-plane ferromagnetic ordering, and observable corner states. A key finding is the exceptional strain-tunability of these flat bands, which allows for precise engineering of its electronic and topological properties. Under biaxial strain, penta-AgN<sub>8</sub> undergoes transitions from a BMS to a half-semiconductor (HSC) and subsequently to a half-metal (HM). Concurrently, its topological properties evolve transition from an MRCI to a double-Weyl metal phase, featuring quadratically dispersing Weyl points characterized by a Chern number of |<i>C</i>| = 1. The predicted thermodynamic, dynamic, mechanical, and thermal stability, combined with advances in synthesizing nitrogen chains and metal nitrides, suggests high feasibility for experimental realization. This work not only introduces a new member to the penta-structured 2D material family with unprecedented planar Ag hypercoordination but also offers a versatile platform for developing multifunctional spintronic devices leveraging strain-modulated topological states.
Authors
- Yu Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8886-2876)
- Xiaoping Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3201-0038)
- Fengyu Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9483-8554)
- Zhongfang Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1445-9184)
- Lei Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0537-1105)
- Rong Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3095-5890)
Institutions
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (CN)
- University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras (PR)
- Inner Mongolia University (CN)
- Quantum Technologies (Sweden) (SE)
- Inner Mongolia University of Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
- Published
- 2025-08-18
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c01818
- Primary Topic
- Topological Materials and Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Inner Mongolia University