  Inspired by the unique properties of graphene, the focus in the literature is
now on investigations of various two-dimensional (2D) materials with the aim to
explore their properties for future applications. The group IV analogues of
graphene, i.e., silicene, germanene and stanene have been intensively studied
in recent years. However, their semi-metallic band structures hamper their use
in electronic applications. Hence, the synthesis of 2D materials with band gaps
of various sizes has attracted a large interest. Here, we report a successful
preparation of a 2D Te-Ag binary alloy with a honeycomb structure.
Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) in combination with
first-principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT) confirmed
the formation of this binary alloy. The semiconducting property is verified by
the ARPES data and a direct gap of ~0.7 eV is predicted by the DFT
calculations.
