Semiconducting electronic property of graphene adsorbed on (0001) surfaces of SiO2

First-principles total energy calculations are performed to investigate the energetics and electronic structures of graphene adsorbed on both an oxygen-terminated SiO2 (0001) surface and a fully hydroxylated SiO2 (0001) surface. We find that there are several stable adsorption sites for graphene on both O-terminated and hydroxylated SiO2 surfaces. The binding energy in the most stable geometry is found to be 15 meV per C atom, indicating a weak interaction between graphene and SiO2 (0001) surfaces. We also find that the graphene adsorbed on SiO2 is a semiconductor irrespective of the adsorption arrangement due to the variation of on-site energy induced by the SiO2 substrate.     

Theoretical investigation of structures and energetics of sodium adatom and its dimer on graphene: DFT study

Extensive ab initio calculations have been performed to study the energetics of a sodium (Na) atom and its dimer adsorbed on graphene using the SIESTA package Soler et al. (2002) [1] which works within a DFT(density functional theory)–GGA (generalized gradient approximation) pseudopotential framework. The adsorption energy, geometry, charge transfer, ionization potential and density of states (DOS), partial density states (PDOS) of adatom/dimer-graphene system have been calculated. After considering various sites for adsorption of Na on graphene, the center of a hexagonal ring of carbon atoms is found to be the preferred site of adsorption while the Na₂ dimer prefers to rest parallel to the graphene sheet. We find insignificant energy differences among adsorption configurations involving different possible sites in parallel orientation, which implies high mobility of the dimer on the graphene sheet. We also notice only a slight distortion of the graphene sheet perpendicular to its plane upon adatom adsorption. However, some lateral displacements seen are more perceptible.     

Theoretical investigation of manganese adsorption on graphene and graphane: A first-principles comparative study

Within the framework of spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation (σGGA) of the density functional theory (DFT) and pseudopotential method, the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of graphene and graphane upon the adsorption of manganese atoms have been theoretically investigated. In contrast to the recent results (New J. Phys. 12, 063020 (2010)), Mn atom has been found to be adsorbed on a hollow-site configuration and no appreciable indication to substitute one of the C atoms of the graphene sheet. Unlike the recent results on Mn-doped graphane (Carbon 48, 3901 (2010)), the Mn adatom prefers to adsorb on the top of a carbon atom, forming a bridge with the uppermost hydrogen atoms. The magnetic moment of the Mn-doped graphene is found to be larger than that of the Mn-doped graphane. The structural parameters and electronic properties of both Mn-doped graphene and Mn-doped graphane are determined and compared with the available data.     

Rb吸附石墨烯纳米带电子性质和光学性质的研究

本文基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法了计算了Rb、O和H吸附石墨烯纳米带的差分电荷密度、能带结构、分波态密度和介电函数,调制了石墨烯纳米带的电子性质和光学性质,给出了不同杂质影响材料光学特性的规律.结果表明本征石墨烯纳米带为n型直接带隙半导体且带隙值为0.639 eV;Rb原子吸附石墨烯纳米带之后变为n型简并直接带隙半导体,带隙值为0.494eV;Rb和O吸附石墨烯纳米带变为p型简并直接带隙半导体,带隙值增加为0.996eV;增加H吸附石墨烯纳米带后,半导体类型变为n型直接带隙半导体,且带隙变为0.299eV,带隙值相对减小,更有利于半导体发光器件制备.吸附Rb、O和H原子后,石墨烯纳米带中电荷密度发生转移,导致C、Rb、O和H之间成键作用显著.吸附Rb之后,在费米能级附近由C-2p、Rb-5s贡献;增加O原子吸附之后,O-2p在费米能级附近贡献非常活跃,杂化效应使费米能级分裂出一条能带;再增加H原子吸附之后,Rb-4p贡献发生蓝移,O-2p在费米能级附近贡献非常强,费米能级分裂出两条能带.Rb、O和H的吸附后,明显调制了石墨烯纳米带的光学性质.     

MoSi_2(001)表面的氧吸附行为

运用第一原理密度泛函理论方法,首先计算了MoSi_2各清洁表面的表面能,(001)Si-|-Si断面具有较低的表面能,是MoSi_2最可能的解理面;通过生成能及键布居分析研究了单氧原子、双氧原子及氧分子在(001)Si-|-Si断面的吸附行为,发现单氧原子在空位处吸附最稳定,此时O极易与Si结合,得到的Si-O-Si键长及键角与SiO_2的非常接近,表明低浓度下O极易与表面的Si结合生成SiO_2;双氧原子发生空位+顶位吸附时O原子除与Si有强作用外,可与Mo有一定相互作用;氧分子以平行的方式接近空位最有利于吸附,此时氧分子最易分解为氧原子,发生氧原子在空位的吸附.     

扭转形变对石墨烯吸附O原子电学和光学性质影响的电子理论研究

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法研究了扭转形变对石墨烯吸附O体系结构稳定性、电子结构和光学性质,包括吸附能、带隙、吸收系数及反射率的影响.研究发现,吸附O原子后,距O原子最近的C原子被拔起,导致石墨烯平面发生扭曲.吸附能计算表明,扭转形变使石墨烯吸附O原子体系结构稳定性下降,而扭转程度对结构稳定性影响微弱.能带结构分析发现,O原子的吸附使石墨烯由金属变成半导体,扭转形变发生时,可实现其从半导体到金属、再到半导体特性的转变.扭转角为12°的吸附O原子体系为间接带隙,而其他出现带隙的体系均为直接带隙.与本征石墨烯受扭体系相比,吸附O原子体系的电子结构对扭转形变的敏感度降低,其中扭转角在10°—16°范围内变化时,带隙始终稳定在0.11 eV附近,即在此扭转角范围内始终对应窄带隙半导体.在光学性能中,受扭转形变的吸附体系吸收系数和反射率峰值较未受扭转形变石墨烯吸附O原子体系均减弱,且随着扭转程度的加剧,均出现红移到蓝移的转变.     

Diamond-like C2H nanolayer, diamane: Simulation of the structure and properties

We consider a new C₂H nanostructure based on bilayer graphene transformed under the covalent bond of hydrogen atoms adsorbed on its external surface, as well as compounds of carbon atoms located opposite each other in neighboring layers. They constitute a “film” of the 〈111〉 diamond with a thickness of less than 1 nm, which is called diamane. The energy characteristics and electron spectra of diamane, graphene, and diamond are calculated using the density functional theory and are compared with each other. The effective Young’s moduli and destruction thresholds of diamane and graphene membranes are determined by the molecular dynamics method. It is shown that C₂H diamane is more stable than CH graphane, its dielectric “gap” is narrower than the band gap of bulk diamond (by 0.8 eV) and graphane (by 0.3 eV), and is harder and more brittle than the latter.     

Effects of vacancy and deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on graphene

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory are carried out to study the adsorption energy of monovacancy and deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on graphene. The bond length and Mulliken charge of an Al atom adsorbed on intrinsic and defected graphene systems are also analyzed. We find that an Al atom, sitting above the H site of intrinsic graphene, is in the most stable location. And the adsorption energy increases with increasing graphene coverage. In 1/32 Al/VC-gra and 1/8 Al/VC-gra Al—C covalent bonds are formed, and the Al—C ionic bonds are enhanced by the vacancy. For our calculations, vacancy and deformation both enhance the adsorption energy of an Al atom adsorbed on a graphene system, but vacancy is more effective. In a tensile system, a geometric distortion is induced in the adsorption structure when the tensile deformation is greater than 15%; in a compression system, the adsorption structure begins to distort from 5%. When the tensile and compressive deformations are greater than 10%, the compressive deformation is more effective than the tension deformation on an Al atom adsorbed on the graphene system. Especially, when the deformation is relatively small, a vacancy has a greater effect on the adsorption energy of an Al atom adsorbed on graphene.     

H,Cl和F原子钝化Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面态的第一性原理计算

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算方法系统研究了Cu_2ZnSnS_4体相的晶格结构、能带、态密度及表面重构与H,Cl和F原子在Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面上的吸附和钝化机理.计算结果表明:表面重构出现在以金属原子Cu-Zn-Sn终止的Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面上,并且表面重构使表面发生自钝化;当单个H,Cl或F原子吸附在S原子终止的Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面上时,相比于桥位(bridge)、六方密排(hcp)位和面心立方(fcc)位点,三种原子均在特定的顶位(top)吸附位点表现出最佳稳定性.当覆盖度为0.5 ML时,无论H,Cl还是F原子占据Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面的2个顶位均具有最低的吸附能.以S原子终止的Cu_2ZnSnS_4(112)表面在费米能级附近的电子态主要由价带顶部Cu-3d轨道和S-3p轨道电子贡献,此即表面态.当H,Cl或F原子在表面的覆盖度达0.5 ML时,费米能级附近的表面态降低,其中H原子钝化表面态的效果最佳,Cl原子的效果次之,F原子的效果最差.表面态降低的主要原因在于吸附原子从S原子获得电子致使表面Cu原子和S原子在费米能级处的态密度峰几乎完全消失.     

石墨烯吸附钛原子的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论研究了单个钛原子分别位于本征石墨烯GR、点缺陷石墨烯（包括空位石墨烯DGR和氮掺杂石墨烯N-GR）薄片表面的吸附机理。通过计算钛原子在本征石墨烯表面不同位置时的吸附结构和吸附能,发现最稳定吸附位置是碳六元环的中心;计算了各个吸附体系的吸附能、态密度和差分电荷密度,研究表明三个吸附体系碳钛间均产生了电子轨道杂化,掺氮后的石墨烯对钛原子的吸附性能略微增强,而空位石墨烯对钛的吸附能是本征石墨烯的4倍,费米能级附近电子态局域化程度最大,吸附效果最好。     

Energy exchange between discrete breathers in graphane in thermal equilibrium

Graphane is a fully hydrogenated graphene which is practically interesting for application in electronics, hydrogen storage and transportation, in nanoscale devices. As it was previously shown, the energy of a discrete breather (nonlinear localized mode) in graphane close to the value of the energy barrier at which the dehydrogenation of graphene occurs. In the present work, molecular dynamics simulation is used to investigate the possibility of energy exchange between discrete breathers in graphane in thermal equilibrium at 400 K and 600 K. In thermally equilibrated graphane, hydrogen atoms are spontaneously excited and can be considered as discrete breathers. Comparison of the kinetic energy per atom as the function of time for the selected hydrogen atoms with their displacements along the z axis showed that there is an energy exchange between the discrete breathers at evaluated temperatures. Hydrogen atom, transmitting its energy to the neighboring atom no longer exists as discrete breather. At high temperatures (600 K) the energy exchange between closely located discrete breathers also take place but strong thermo-oscillations of atoms at high temperatures (above 400 K) considerably affect the process.     

金属原子修饰石墨烯体系催化性能的理论研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法研究了单个CO和O2气体分子在金属原子修饰石墨烯表面的吸附和反应过程.结果表明:空位缺陷结构的石墨烯能够提高金属原子的稳定性,金属原子掺杂的石墨烯体系能够调控气体分子的吸附特性.通入混合的CO和O2作为反应气体,石墨烯表面容易被吸附性更强的O2分子占据,进而防止催化剂的CO中毒.此外,对比分析两种催化机理(Langmuir-Hinshelwood和Eley-Rideal)对CO氧化反应的影响.与其它金属原子相比,Al原子掺杂的石墨烯体系具有极低的反应势垒(0.4 e V),更有助于CO氧化反应的迅速进行.     

石墨烯在Al_2O_3(0001)表面生长的模拟研究

基于密度泛函理论的广义梯度近似法,对用化学气相沉积法在蓝宝石(α-Al_2O_3)(0001)表面上生长石墨烯进行理论研究.研究结果表明:CH_4在α-Al_2O_3(0001)表面上的分解是吸热过程,由CH_4完全分解出C需要较高能量及反应能垒,这些因素不利于C在衬底表面的存在.在α-Al_2O_3(0001)表面,石墨烯形核的活跃因子并不是通常认为的C原子,而是CH基团.通过CH基团在α-Al_2O_3(0001)表面上的迁移聚集首先形成能量较低的(CH)_x结构.模拟研究(CH)_x对揭示后续石墨烯的形核生长机理具有重要意义.     

金属原子修饰石墨烯体系催化性能的理论研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法研究了单个CO 和O2气体分子在金属原子修饰石墨烯表面的吸附和反应过程. 结果表明: 空位缺陷结构的石墨烯能够提高金属原子的稳定性, 金属原子掺杂的石墨烯体系能够调控气体分子的吸附特性. 通入混合的CO和O2作为反应气体, 石墨烯表面容易被吸附性更强的O2分子占据, 进而防止催化剂的CO 中毒. 此外, 对比分析两种催化机理(Langmuir-Hinshelwood和Eley-Rideal)对CO氧化反应的影响. 与其它金属原子相比, Al原子掺杂的石墨烯体系具有极低的反应势垒(< 0.4 eV), 更有助于CO氧化反应的迅速进行.     

Comparison between Si/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and InP/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> based MOSFETs

The discrete breathers in graphane in thermodynamic equilibrium in the temperature range 50–600 K are studied by molecular dynamics simulation. A discrete breather is a hydrogen atom vibrating along the normal to a sheet of graphane at a high amplitude. As was found earlier, the lifetime of a discrete breather at zero temperature corresponds to several tens of thousands of vibrations. The effect of temperature on the decay time of discrete breathers and the probability of their detachment from a sheet of graphane are studied in this work. It is shown that closely spaced breathers can exchange energy with each other at zero temperature. The data obtained suggest that thermally activated discrete breathers can be involved in the dehydrogenation of graphane, which is important for hydrogen energetics.     

Hydrogen adsorption on graphene: a first principles study

We present a systematic ab initio study of atomic hydrogen adsorption on graphene. The characteristics of the adsorption process are discussed in relation with the hydrogenation coverage. For systems with high coverage, the resultant strain due to substrate relaxation strongly affects H atom chemisorption. This leads to local structural changes that have not been pointed out to date, namely localized surface curvature. We demonstrate that the hydrogen chemisorption energy barrier is independent of the optimization technique and system size, being associated with the relaxation and rehybridization of the sole adsorbent carbon atom. On the other hand, the H desorption barrier is very sensitive to a correct structural relaxation and is also dependent on the degree of system hydrogenation.     

Density functional study of oxygen adsorption on the Mg3Nd (0 0 1) surface

The adsorption of oxygen atoms on Mg₃Nd (0 0 1) surface was studied based on density function theory (DFT), in which the exchange-correlation potential was chosen as the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) in the Perdew and Wang (PW91). The most preferred adsorption position was at the top-hollow site. Upon the optimization on top-hollow site with different coverage, it was found that the adsorption energy decreased with oxygen coverage. The density of states analysis showed that obvious charge transfer took place between O atom and the nearest Nd atom and chemical bond formed between O atom and the nearest Nd atom after O adsorption. The result of surface energy as a function of chemical potential change of oxygen indicated the clean Mg₃Nd (0 0 1) surface was easy to adsorb oxygen and form 1.00 ML surface.     

Formation of graphene quantum dots by “Planting” hydrogen atoms at a graphene nanoribbon

Different technological approaches for creating graphene quantum dots by the adsorption of hydrogen atoms are considered. The adsorption can occur both at convex portions of a distorted graphene nanoribbon and in the structure formed by two distorted graphene nanoribbon rows superimposed on each other at the places free from the ribbon crossings. It is shown that settlement of hydrogen atoms at convex portions of the nanoribbons is energetically favorable. This gives rise to the creation of insulating graphane (CH) nanodomains separating the conducting regions. As a result, a graphene quantum dot appears. The variation of the electron spectra of graphene quantum dots with the length of these graphane regions is discussed.     

Size- and shape-dependent energetics of nanocrystal interfaces: experiment and simulation

We study the interface energetics of Ag nanocrystals on a H-passivated Si(111) surface by a transmission electron microscopy experiment and molecular dynamics simulations. The annealed nanocrystals are oriented with Ag(111)||Si(111). Azimuthally, epitaxy is preferred for nanocrystals with an interface larger than a coincident-site-lattice (CSL) cell. The equilibrium orientation, or interface energy minimum, depends on the interface size and shape. For interfaces approaching a CSL cell in size ( approximately 2 nm nanocrystals), fluctuations of a single atom at an interface can lead to large variations in nanocrystal orientations.     

First-principles study of palladium atom adsorption on the boron- or nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes

We have performed first-principles calculation to investigate the adsorption of a single palladium atom on the surface of the pristine and boron- or nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The results show that for the adsorption of a single palladium atom on the pristine CNT surface, the most stable site is Bridge1 site above the axial carbon–carbon bond. Either boron- or nitrogen-doped CNTs can assist palladium surface adsorption, but the detailed mechanisms are different. The enhanced palladium adsorption on boron-doped CNT is attributed to the palladium d orbital strongly hybridized with both boron p orbital and carbon p orbital. The enhancement in palladium adsorption on nitrogen-doped CNT results from activating the nitrogen-neighboring carbon atoms due to the large electron affinity of nitrogen. Furthermore, the axial bond is preferred over the zigzag bond for a palladium atom adsorbed on the surface of all three types of CNTs. The most energetically favorable site for a palladium atom adsorbed on three types of CNTs is above the axial boron–carbon bond in boron-doped CNT. The enhancement in palladium adsorption is more significant for the boron-doped CNT than it is for nitrogen-doped CNT with a similar configuration. So we conclude that accordingly, the preferred adsorption site is determined by the competition between the electron affinity of doped and adsorbed atoms and preferred degree of the axial bond over the zigzag bond.