Effect of strain on geometric and electronic structures of graphene on Ru(0001) surface

The atomic and electronic structures of a graphene monolayer on a Ru(0001) surface under compressive strain are investigated by using first-principles calculations. Three models of graphene monolayers with different carbon periodicities due to the lattice mismatch are proposed in the presence and the absence of the Ru(0001) substrate separately. Considering the strain induced by the lattice mismatch, we optimize the atomic structures and investigate the electronic properties of the graphene. Our calculation results show that the graphene layers turn into periodic corrugations and there exist strong chemical bonds in the interface between the graphene N×N superlattice and the substrate. The strain does not induce significant changes in electronic structure. Furthermore, the results calculated in the local density approximation (LDA) are compared with those obtained in the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), showing that the LDA results are more reasonable than the GGA results when only two substrate layers are used in calculation.     

Formation,structure, and properties of “welded” <Emphasis Type="Italic">h</Emphasis>-BN/graphene compounds

Structures of h-BN/graphene with holes where atoms at the edges are bonded to each other by sp² hybridized C–B and C–N bonds and form continuous junctions from layer to layer with topological defects inside holes have been considered. Their formation, as well as the moiré-type stable atomic structure of such compounds (with different rotation angles of graphene with respect to the hexagonal boron nitride monolayer) with closed hexagonal holes in the AA centers of packing of the moiré superlattice, has been studied. The stability, as well as the electronic and mechanical properties, of such bilayer BN/graphene nanomeshes has been analyzed within electron density functional theory. It has been shown that they have semiconducting properties. Their electronic band structures and mechanical characteristics differ from the respective properties of separate monolayer nanomeshes with the same geometry and arrangement of holes.     

Synthesis and characterization of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides: Recent progress from a vacuum surface science perspective

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a diverse group of materials whose properties vary from semiconducting to metallic with a variety of many body phenomena, ranging from charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity, to Mott-insulators. Recent interest in topologically protected states revealed also that some TMDs host bulk Dirac- or Wyle-semimetallic states and their corresponding surface states. In this review, we focus on the synthesis of TMDs by vacuum processes, such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). After an introduction of these preparation methods and categorize the basic electronic properties of TMDs, we address the characterization of vacuum synthesized materials in their ultrathin limit-mainly as a single monolayer material. Scanning tunneling microscopy and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy has revealed detailed information on how monolayers differ in their properties from multi-layer and bulk materials. The status of monolayer properties is given for the TMDs, where data are available. Distinct modifications of monolayer properties compared to their bulk counterparts are highlighted. This includes the well-known transition from indirect to direct band gap in semiconducting group VI-B TMDs as the material-thickness is reduced to a single molecular layer. In addition, we discuss the new or modified CDW states in monolayer VSe₂ and TiTe₂, a Mott-insulating state in monolayer 1T-TaSe₂, and the monolayer specific 2D topological insulator 1T′-WTe₂, which gives rise to a quantum spin Hall insulator. New structural phases, that do not exist in the bulk, may be synthesized in the monolayer by MBE. These phases have special properties, including the Mott insulator 1T-NbSe₂, the 2D topological insulators of 1T′-MoTe₂, and the CDW material 1T-VTe₂. After discussing the pure TMDs, we report the properties of nanostructured or modified TMDs. Edges and mirror twin grain boundaries (MTBs) in 2D materials are 1D structures. In group VI-B semiconductors, these 1D structures may be metallic and their properties obey Tomonaga Luttinger quantum liquid behavior. Formation of Mo-rich MTBs in Mo-dichalcogenides and self-intercalation in between TMD-layers are discussed as potential compositional variants that may occur during MBE synthesis of TMDs or may be induced intentionally during post-growth modifications. In addition to compositional modifications, phase switching and control, in particular between the 1H and 1T (or 1T′) phases, is a recurring theme in TMDs. Methods of phase control by tuning growth conditions or by post-growth modifications, e.g. by electron doping, are discussed. The properties of heterostructures of TMD monolayers are also introduced, with a focus on lateral electronic modifications in the moiré-structures of group VI-B TMDs. The lateral potential induced in the moiré structures forms the basis of the currently debated moiré-excitons. Finally, we review a few cases of molecular adsorption on nanostructured monolayer TMDs. This review is intended to present a comprehensive overview of vacuum studies of fundamental materials' properties of TMDs and should complement the investigations on TMDs prepared by exfoliation or chemical vapor deposition and their applications.     

Simulation of the Interaction of Graphene with a Copper Surface Using a Modified Morse Potential

JETP Letters - A new carbon–copper interaction potential is proposed to simulate the moiré structure of graphene on the copper surface. It is shown that the resulting moiré...     

Graphene domain boundaries on Pt(111) as nucleation sites for Pt nanocluster formation

The growth of Pt nanoclusters on a graphene layer on Pt(111) was studied with ultra high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. Different periodicities in the moiré patterns of the graphene layer are observed corresponding to different orientations with respect to the Pt(111) lattice. Various graphene orientations are possible because of a relatively weak graphene–Pt interaction. Following Pt deposition onto the graphene-covered surface, small Pt nanoclusters are observed to preferentially form along the moiré domain boundaries. The weak interaction of graphene with Pt(111) leads to a weak corrugation in the superlattice compared to other transition metals, such as Ru, but it is found even this weak corrugation is sufficient to serve as a template for the formation of mono-dispersed one-dimensional Pt nanocluster chains. These Pt nanoclusters are relatively stable and only undergo agglomeration at annealing temperatures above 600 K.     

Structural stability and electronic properties of carbon star lattice monolayer

By means of the first-principles calculations, we have investigated the structural stability and electronic properties of carbon star lattice monolayer and nanoribbons. The phase stability of the carbon star lattice is verified through phononmode analysis and room temperature molecular dynamics simulations. The carbon star lattice is found to be metallic due to the large states across the Fermi-level contributed by pz orbital. Furthermore, the nanoribbons are also found to be metallic and no spin polarization occurs, except for the narrowest nanoribbon with one C12 ring, which has a ferromagnetic ground state. Our results show that carbon star lattice monolayer and nanoribbons have rich electronic properties with great potential in future electronic nanodevices.     

Deposition of metal clusters on single-layer graphene/Ru(0001): Factors that govern cluster growth

Fabrication of nanoclusters on a substrate is of great interest in studies of model catalysts. The key factors that govern the growth and distribution of metal on graphene have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) based on different behaviors of five transition metals, namely Pt, Rh, Pd, Co, and Au supported on the template of a graphene moiré pattern formed on Ru(0001). Our experimental findings show that Pt and Rh form finely dispersed small clusters located at fcc sites on graphene while Pd and Co form large clusters at similar coverages. These results, coupled with previous findings that Ir forms the best finely dispersed clusters, suggest that both metal–carbon (M–C) bond strength and metal cohesive energies play significant roles in the cluster formation process and that the M–C bond strength is the most important factor that affects the morphology of clusters at the initial stages of growth. Furthermore, experimental results show Au behaves differently and forms a single-layer film on graphene, indicating other factors such as the effect of substrate metals and lattice match should also be considered. In addition, the effect of annealing Rh on graphene has been studied and its high thermal stability is rationalized in terms of a strong interaction between Rh and graphene as well as sintering via Ostwald ripening.     

Band structure of Au layers on the Ru(0001) and graphene/Ru(0001) surfaces

The electronic structures of Au monolayers on the Ru(0001) and graphene-coated Ru(0001) surfaces have been calculated by DFT method using the supercell (repeated-slab) approach. The local densities of states (LDOS) and band structures of the monolayer and bilayer Au films adsorbed on the graphene/Ru(0001) and those of free hexagonal Au layers are found to be very similar. This result indicates that the monolayer graphene almost completely screens the Au layers from the Ru(0001) substrate surface, so that electronic properties of Au films adsorbed on graphene are determined predominantly by the electronic structure of the Au adlayers, essentially independent on the electronic structure of the substrate surface.     

Diamond-Like Films from Twisted Few-Layer Graphene

JETP Letters - The atomic and electronic structures of diamanes, i.e., diamond-like films formed by few-layer moiré graphene with a twist angle θ in 00θ and θ00θ stackings...     

Electronic structure,optical properties,and phonon transport in Janus monolayer PtSSe via first-principles study

Motivated by the synthesis of a Janus monolayer, the new PtSSe transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) have attracted remarkable attention due to their characteristic properties. In this work, we calculated the electronic structure, optical properties, and the thermal conductivity of the PtSSe monolayers, and performed a detailed comparison with other TMDs (monolayer PtS₂ and PtSe₂) using first-principles calculations. The calculated band gaps of the PtS₂, PtSSe, and PtSe₂ monolayers were 1.76, 1.38, and 1.21?eV, respectively, which are in good agreement with experimental data. At the same time, we observed a larger spin-orbit splitting in the electronic structure of PtSSe monolayers. The optical properties were also calculated and a significant red shift was observed from the PtS₂ to PtSSe to PtSe₂ monolayers. The lattice thermal conductivity of the PtSSe monolayer at room temperature (36.19?W/mK) is significantly lower than that of the PtS₂ monolayer (54.25?W/mK) and higher than that of the PtSe₂ monolayer (18.07?W/mK). Our results show that the PtSSe monolayer breaks structural symmetry and has the same ability to reduce the thermal conductivity as MoSSe and ZrSSe monolayers due to the shorter group velocity and the lower converged phonon scattering rate. These results may stimulate further studies on the electronic structure, optical properties, and thermal conductivity of the PtSSe monolayer in both experimental synthesis and theoretical efforts.     

Ab initio study of anisotropic mechanical and electronic properties of strained carbon-nitride nanosheet with interlayer bonding

Due to the noticeable structural similarity and being neighborhood in periodic table of group-IV and-V elemental monolayers, whether the combination of group-IV and-V elements could have stable nanosheet structures with optimistic properties has attracted great research interest. In this work, we performed first-principles simulations to investigate the elastic, vibrational and electronic properties of the carbon nitride (CN) nanosheet in the puckered honeycomb structure with covalent interlayer bonding. It has been demonstrated that the structural stability of CN nanosheet is essentially maintained by the strong interlayer σ bonding between adjacent carbon atoms in the opposite atomic layers. A negative Poisson’s ratio in the out-of-plane direction under biaxial deformation, and the extreme in-plane stiffness of CN nanosheet, only slightly inferior to the monolayer graphene, are revealed. Moreover, the highly anisotropic mechanical and electronic response of CN nanosheet to tensile strain have been explored.     

Correlated states in alternating twisted bilayer-monolayer-monolayer graphene heterostructure

Highly controlled electronic correlation in twisted graphene heterostructures has gained enormous research interests recently, encouraging exploration in a wide range of moiré superlattices beyond the celebrated twisted bilayer graphene. Here we characterize correlated states in an alternating twisted Bernal bilayer-monolayer-monolayer graphene of ～ 1.74°, and find that both van Hove singularities and multiple correlated states are asymmetrically tuned by displacement fields. In particular, when one electron per moiré unit cell is occupied in the electron-side flat band, or the hole-side flat band (i.e., three holes per moiré unit cell), the correlated peaks are found to counterintuitively grow with heating and maximize around 20 K - a signature of Pomeranchuk effect. Our multilayer heterostructure opens more opportunities to engineer complicated systems for investigating correlated phenomena.     

Precisely controlling the twist angle of epitaxial MoS2/graphene heterostructure by AFM tip manipulation

Two-dimensional (2D) moiré materials have attracted a lot of attention and opened a new research frontier of twistronics due to their novel physical properties. Although great progress has been achieved, the inability to precisely and reproducibly manipulate the twist angle hinders the further development of twistronics. Here, we demonstrated an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip manipulation method to control the interlayer twist angle of epitaxial MoS₂/graphene heterostructure with an ultra-high accuracy better than 0.1°. Furthermore, conductive AFM and spectroscopic characterizations were conducted to show the effects of the twist angle on moiré pattern wavelength, phonons and excitons. Our work provides a technique to precisely control the twist angle of 2D moiré materials, enabling the possibility to establish the phase diagrams of moiré physics with twist angle.     

Electrostatic investigation into the bonding of poly(phenylene) thiols to gold

The advancement of nanotechnology relies on the understanding of electrical connection to individual molecules. Electrostatic surface potential measurements of self-assembled monolayers can provide insight into the structural and electronic properties of molecules attached to surfaces. In this paper we report on the electrostatic potential of poly(phenylene) thiol molecules bound to gold surfaces. Kelvin force microscopy is used to probe self-assembled monolayers of a series of phenyl, biphenyl, and triphenyl thiol molecules. The dipole moments of the isolated molecules have been determined and show similar electronic trends. A difference in polarity between the isolated molecules and the electrostatic surface potential of a monolayer attached to gold reflects the electron transfer on to the bound molecule.     

Point defects on graphene on metals

Understanding the coupling of graphene with its local environment is critical to be able to integrate it in tomorrow's electronic devices. Here we show how the presence of a metallic substrate affects the properties of an atomically tailored graphene layer. We have deliberately introduced single carbon vacancies on a graphene monolayer grown on a Pt(111) surface and investigated its impact in the electronic, structural, and magnetic properties of the graphene layer. Our low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy studies, complemented by density functional theory, show the existence of a broad electronic resonance above the Fermi energy associated with the vacancies. Vacancy sites become reactive leading to an increase of the coupling between the graphene layer and the metal substrate at these points; this gives rise to a rapid decay of the localized state and the quenching of the magnetic moment associated with carbon vacancies in freestanding graphene layers.     

Comparative study of the nature of chemical bonding of corrugated graphene on Ru(0001) and Rh(111) by electronic structure calculations

Recently, atomic resolved scanning tunneling microscopy investigations revealed that, depending on the substrate (Ni(111), Ru(0001), Ir(111), Pt(111), Rh(111)), graphene overlayer might present regular corrugation patterns, with periodically repeated units of a few nanometers. Variations of the interactions at the interface and the modulation of the local electronic properties are associated with the exact atomic arrangement of the carbon pairs with respect to the metal atoms of the substrate. Better understanding of the atomic structure and of the chemical bonding between graphene and the underlying transition metal is motivated by the fundamental scientific relevance of such systems, but it is also crucial in the perspective of possible applications. With the present work, we propose model systems for the two interfaces showing the most pronounced corrugation patterns, i.e. graphene/Ru(0001) and graphene/Rh(111). Our goal is to understand the nature of the interactions by means of electronic structure calculations based on Density Functional Theory. Our simulations qualitatively reproduce very well experimental results such as the STM topographies and the electrostatic potential maps, and quantitatively provide the closest agreement that has been published so far. The detailed analysis of the electronic structure at the interface highlights similarities and differences by changing the supporting transition metal. Our results point to a fundamental role of the hybridization between the π orbitals of graphene with the d band of the metal in determining the specific corrugation of the adsorbed monolayer. It is shown that differences in the response of the graphene electronic structure to the interaction with the metal can hinder the hybridization and lead to substantially different structures.     

Selective formation of ultrathin PbSe on Ag(111)

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, such as lead selenide (PbSe), locate at the key position of next-generation devices. However, the ultrathin PbSe is still rarely reported experimentally, particularly on metal substrates. Here, we report the ultrathin PbSe synthesized via sequential molecular beam epitaxy on Ag(111). The scanning tunneling microscopy is used to resolve the atomic structure and confirms the selective formation of ultrathin PbSe through the reaction between Ag₅Se₂ and Pb, as further evidenced by the theoretical calculation. It is also found that the increased accumulation of Pb leads to the improved quality of PbSe with larger and more uniform films. The detailed analysis demonstrates the bilayer structure of synthesized PbSe, which could be deemed to achieve the 2D limit. The differential conductance spectrum reveals a metallic feature of the PbSe film, indicating a certain interaction between PbSe and Ag(111). Moreover, the moiré pattern originated from the lattice mismatch between PbSe and Ag(111) is observed, and this moiré system provides the opportunity for studying physics under periodical modulation and for device applications. Our work illustrates a pathway to selectively synthesize ultrathin PbSe on metal surfaces and suggests a 2D experimental platform to explore PbSe-based opto-electronic and thermoelectric phenomena.     

二硫化钨/石墨烯异质结的界面相互作用及其肖特基调控的理论研究

采用第一性原理方法研究了二硫化钨/石墨烯异质结的界面结合作用以及电子性质,结果表明在二硫化钨/石墨烯异质结中,其界面相互作用是微弱的范德瓦耳斯力.能带计算结果显示异质结中二硫化钨和石墨烯各自的电子性质得到了保留,同时,由于石墨烯的结合作用,二硫化钨呈现出n型半导体.通过改变界面的层间距可以调控二硫化钼/石墨烯异质结的肖特基势垒类型,层间距增大,肖特基将从p型转变为n型接触.三维电荷密度差分图表明,负电荷聚集在二硫化钨附近,正电荷聚集在石墨烯附近,从而在界面处形成内建电场.肖特基势垒变化与界面电荷流动密切相关,平面平均电荷密度差分图显示,随着层间距逐渐增大,界面电荷转移越来越弱,且空间电荷聚集区位置向石墨烯层方向靠近,导致费米能级向上平移,证实了肖特基势垒随着层间距的增加由p型接触向n型转变.本文的研究结果将为二维范德瓦耳斯场效应管的设计与制作提供指导.