Lateral Heterometal Junction Rectifier Fabricated by Sequential Transmetallation of Coordination Nanosheet

Heterostructures of two-dimensional materials realise novel and enhanced physical phenomena, making them attractive research targets. Compared to inorganic materials, coordination nanosheets have virtually infinite combinations, leading to tunability of physical properties and are promising candidates for heterostructure fabrication. Although stacking of coordination materials into vertical heterostructures is widely reported, reports of lateral coordination material heterostructures are few. Here we show the successful fabrication of a seamless lateral heterojunction showing diode behaviour, by sequential and spatially limited immersion of a new metalladithiolene coordination nanosheet, Zn₃ BHT, into aqueous Cu(II) and Fe(II) solutions. Upon immersion, the Zn centres in insulating Zn₃ BHT are replaced by Cu or Fe ions, resulting in conductivity. The transmetallation is spatially confined, occurring only within the immersed area. We anticipate that our results will be a starting point towards exploring transmetallation of various two-dimensional materials to produce lateral heterojunctions, by providing a new and facile synthetic route.