Polymorphic germanium films forming in slit nanopore

- The solidification of 2D liquid germanium in slit nanopore has been studied.
- The liquid germanium transforms to polymorphic ordered germanium films.
- The slit size is important to this transition.

The solidification of two-dimensional liquid germanium confined to slit nanopores with different sizes has been studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The results clearly show that the system undergoes an obvious liquid-solid phase transition to polymorphic ordered germanium films with the decrease of temperature, accompanied by dramatic change in potential energy and coordination number. Moreover, it is found that the slit size is of vital importance to the transition point and the structure of the germanium films. The results of radial distribution functions, density distribution functions and angular distribution functions suggest the obtained germanium films have various novel structures different from the graphene.

Two-dimensional liquid germanium confined to slit nanopores transform into polymorphic ordered germanium films with the decrease of temperature.