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Title: Nucleation and growth kinetics for intercalated islands during deposition on layered materials with isolated pointlike surface defects

Journal Article · · Physical Review Materials
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
  2. Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Xiamen Univ., Xiamen (China)
  3. National Chung Cheng Univ., Chiayi (Taiwan)
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Theory and stochastic lattice-gas modeling is developed for the formation of intercalated metal islands in the gallery between the top layer and the underlying layer at the surface of layered materials. Our model for this process involves deposition of atoms, some fraction of which then enter the gallery through well-separated pointlike defects in the top layer. Subsequently, these atoms diffuse within the subsurface gallery leading to nucleation and growth of intercalated islands nearby the defect point source. For the case of a single point defect, continuum diffusion equation analysis provides insight into the nucleation kinetics. However, complementary tailored lattice-gas modeling produces a more comprehensive and quantitative characterization. We analyze the large spread in nucleation times and positions relative to the defect for the first nucleated island. We also consider the formation of subsequent islands and the evolution of island growth shapes. The shapes reflect in part our natural adoption of a hexagonal close-packed island structure. As a result, motivation and support for the model is provided by scanning tunneling microscopy observations of the formation of intercalated metal islands in highly-ordered pyrolytic graphite at higher temperatures.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11358; 105-2115-M-011-MY2
OSTI ID:
1406561
Report Number(s):
IS-J-9466; PRMHAR; TRN: US1703265
Journal Information:
Physical Review Materials, Vol. 1, Issue 5; ISSN 2475-9953
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 10 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (3)

Spontaneous selective deposition of iron oxide nanoparticles on graphite as model catalysts journal January 2019
Reverse-engineering of graphene on metal surfaces: a case study of embedded ruthenium journal October 2018
Dy adsorption and penetration on defected graphene by first-principles calculations journal February 2018

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