  Vertical integration of two-dimensional materials has recently emerged as an
exciting method for the design of novel electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Using density functional theory, we investigatethe structural and electronic
properties of two heterostruc-tures, graphene/phosphorene (G/BP) and hexagonal
boron nitride/phosphorene (BN/BP). We found that the interlayer distance,
binding energy, and charge transfer in G/BP and BN/BP are similar. Interlayer
noncovalentbonding is predicted due to the weak coupling between the pz orbital
of BP and the {\pi} orbital of graphene and BN. A small amount of electron
transfer from graphene and BN, scaling with the vertical strain, renders BP
slightly n-doped for both heterostructures. Several attractive characteristics
of BP, including direct band gap and linear dichroism, are preserved. However,
a large redistribution of electrostatic potential across the interface is
observed, which may significantly renormalize the carrier dynamics and affect
the excitonic behavior of BP. Our work suggests that graphene and BN can be
used not only as an effective capping layer to protect BP from its structural
and chemical degradation while still maintain its major electronic
characteristics, but also as an active layer to tune the carrier dynamics and
optical properties of BP.
