Bismuthene is a newly developed graphene-like 2D topological insulator

Researchers from the University of Würzburg developed a new room-temperature 2D topological insulator material that is promising for spintronics applications.

To create this material, the researchers used a single-sheet of bismuth atomsdeposited on a silicon carbide substrate. The silicon carbide structures causes the bismuth atoms to arrange in a honeycomb structure - which resembles the structure of graphene films. The researchers call their new material "bismuthene".

Unlike graphene, Bismuthene forms a chemical bond to the substrate, which plays a central role in the new concept to provide the material with the desired electronic properties.