Atomically Precise Fabrication of Ultranarrow Zigzag CuTe Nanoribbons via Dimensional Regulation

Artificial dimension control has been playing a vital role in electronic structure manipulation and properties generation. However, systematic investigations into the dimensional regulation, such as transformation from two-dimensional (2D) materials to well-controlled one-dimensional (1D) ribbons, remain insufficient via molecular beam epitaxy. Here, high-quality ultranarrow zigzag CuTe nanoribbons are atomically precisely prepared via the dimensional regulation induced by adjusting the Te chemical potential, utilizing CuSe monolayer as the starting 2D template. Introducing Te atoms into the CuSe monolayer and subsequent annealing, Te atoms replace Se atoms within CuSe lattice. As the Te substitution ratio increases, strain accumulates and elongated nanopores emerge, which expand and interconnect to form 1D CuSe_1-xTe_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoribbons and ultimately coalesce into a 1D ultranarrow zigzag CuTe nanoribbons with a honeycomb lattice. The entire structural transformation is verified through scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT). Contrary to the 2D semiconducting nature of CuSe and CuSe_1-xTe_x monolayers, newly formed 1D CuTe nanoribbons exhibit metallic properties. Intriguingly, DFT calculations further reveal spin-polarized states at the zigzag edges of CuTe nanoribbons. Our proposed dimensional regulation strategy from 2D materials to well-controlled 1D nanoribbons presents avenues for refining and enhancing the synthesis process.