Liquid exfoliation of ethyl-terminated layered germanane

We have fabricated dispersions of ethyl-intercalated germanane (GeEt) by a liquid exfoliation approach in chlorobenzene, with sufficient concentration for thin-film fabrication. Monolayers and a few layers of GeEt with lateral dimensions of a few micrometers were deposited from its dispersion onto a solid substrate and characterized with a scanning electron microscope. The physical properties and structures of the GeEt dispersions were investigated by UV–visible, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopies. The sonication power for the dispersion process affected the interlayer distance between germanium sheets, as well as the photoluminescence of GeEt dispersions. Electroluminescence was observed with a peak at 835 nm from a device with a cast film from the chlorobenzene dispersion of GeEt.