Phase stability of three-dimensional bulk and two-dimensional monolayer As1-xSbx solid solutions from first principles

The mixing thermodynamics of both three-dimensional bulk and two-dimensional monolayered alloys of As1-xSbx as a function of alloy composition and temperature are explored using a first-principles cluster-expansion method, combined with canonical Monte-Carlo simulations. We observe that, for the bulk phase, As1-xSbx alloy can exhibit not only chemical ordering of As and Sb atoms at x = 0.5 to form an ordered compound of AsSb stable upon annealing up to T approximate to 475 K, but also a miscibility gap at 475 K less than or similar to T less than or similar to 550 K in which two disordered solid solutions of As1-xSbx of different alloy compositions thermodynamically coexist. At T > 550 K, a single-phase solid solution of bulk As1-xSbx is predicted to be stable across the entire composition range. These results clearly explain the existing uncertainties in the alloying behavior of bulk As1-xSbx alloy, as previously reported in the literature, and also found to be in qualitative and quantitative agreement with the experimental observations. Interestingly, the alloying behavior of As1-xSbx is considerably altered, as the dimensionality of the material reduces from the three-dimensional bulk state to the two-dimensional monolayered state-for example, a single-phase solid solution of monolayer As1-xSbx is predicted to be stable over the whole composition range at T > 250 K. This distinctly highlights an influence of the reduced dimensionality on the alloying behavior of As1-xSbx.