Reverse-engineering of graphene on metal surfaces: a case study of embedded ruthenium

Lii-Rosales, Ann; Han, Yong; Yu, Ka Man; Jing, Dapeng; Anderson, Nathaniel; Vaknin, David; Tringides, Michael C.; Evans, James W.; Altman, Michael S.; Thiel, Patricia A.

doi:10.1088/1361-6528/aae1e3

Reverse-engineering of graphene on metal surfaces: a case study of embedded ruthenium

Journal Article · Tue Oct 09 04:00:00 EDT 2018 · Nanotechnology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/aae1e3· OSTI ID:1477243

^[1]; ^[2]; Yu, Ka Man ^[3]; Jing, Dapeng ^[1]; Anderson, Nathaniel ^[1]; Vaknin, David ^[1]; Tringides, Michael C. ^[1]; Evans, James W. ^[1]; Altman, Michael S. ^[3]; ^[1]

Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States); Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology (China)

Using scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we show that Ru forms metallic nanoislands on graphite, covered by a graphene monolayer. These islands are air-stable, contain 2-4 layers of Ru, and have diameters on the order of 10 nm. To produce these nanoislands two conditions must be met during synthesis. The graphite surface must be ion-bombarded, and subsequently held at elevated temperature (1000-1180 K) during Ru deposition. A coincidence lattice forms between the graphene overlayer and the Ru island top. Its characteristics – coincidence lattice constant, corrugation amplitude, and variation of carbon lattice appearance within the unit cell – closely resemble the well-established characteristics of single-layer graphene on the (0001) surface of bulk Ru. Quantitative analysis of the graphene lattice in relation to the coincidence lattice on the island tops shows that the twodimensional lattice constant of the underlying metal equals that of bulk Ru(0001), within experimental error. The embedded Ru islands are energetically favored over on-top (adsorbed) islands, based on density-functional-theory calculations for Ru films with 1-3 Ru layers. We propose a formation mechanism in which Ru atoms intercalate via defects that act as entry portals to the carbon galleries, followed by nucleation and growth in the galleries. In this model, high deposition temperature is necessary to prevent blockage of entry portals.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC02-06CH11357; AC02-07CH11358

OSTI ID:: 1477243

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 22881333

Report Number(s):: IS-J--9745

Journal Information:: Nanotechnology, Journal Name: Nanotechnology Journal Issue: 50 Vol. 29; ISSN 0957-4484

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Reverse-engineering of graphene on metal surfaces: a case study of embedded ruthenium

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