Effect of point defects on electronic and magnetic properties of single-layer SiO

Based on spin-polarised density functional theory calculations, we investigated the effect of point defects on electronic and magnetic properties of the single-layer (SL) asymmetric washboard silicon oxide (aw-SiO). The SL-aw-SiO is a counterpart of black phosphorene, and a new candidate of two-dimensional material family. This structure is dynamically and thermally stable and is a nonmagnetic semiconductor with a direct band gap. We found that single vacancy and divacancy give rise to significant change in the electronic and magnetic properties of SL-aw-SiO. The band gap of aw-SiO can be tuned by the substitution of Si atom instead of O atom, the antisite defect, the O atom vacancy and two atom vacancies. In addition, impurity states due to the defects can occur in the band continua and hence the band gap of aw-SiO is reduced. Having an integer magnetic moment, SL-aw-SiO upon Si vacancy and by substitution of O atom instead of Si atom may display half-metallic features.