Layer Dependence of Dielectric Response and Water-Enhanced Ambient Degradation of Highly Anisotropic Black As

Black arsenic (BAs) is a van der Waals layered material with a puckered honeycomb structure and has received increased interest due to its anisotropic properties and promising performance in devices. Here, crystalline structure, thickness-dependent dielectric responses, and ambient stability of BAs nanosheets are investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging and spectroscopy. Atomic-resolution high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF)-STEM images directly visualize the three-dimensional structure and evaluate the degree of anisotropy. STEM-electron energy loss spectroscopy is used to measure the dielectric response of BAs as a function of the number of layers. Finally, BAs degradation under different ambient environments is studied, highlighting high sensitivity to moisture in the air.