Two-dimensional Dirac signature of germanene

Journal Article · Mon Sep 14 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4931102· OSTI ID:22482074

Zhang, L.; Bampoulis, P.; Houselt, A. van; Zandvliet, H. J. W. ^[1]

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1. Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede (Netherlands)

The structural and electronic properties of germanene coated Ge{sub 2}Pt clusters have been determined by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy at room temperature. The interior of the germanene sheet exhibits a buckled honeycomb structure with a lattice constant of 4.3 Å and a buckling of 0.2 Å. The zigzag edges of germanene are reconstructed and display a 4× periodicity. The differential conductivity of the interior of the germanene sheet has a V-shape, which is reminiscent of the density of states of a two-dimensional Dirac system. The minimum of the differential conductivity is located close to the Fermi level and has a non-zero value, which we ascribe to the metallic character of the underlying Ge{sub 2}Pt substrate. Near the reconstructed germanene zigzag edges the shape of the differential conductivity changes from a V-shape to a more parabolic-like shape, revealing that the reconstructed germanene zigzag edges do not exhibit a pronounced metallic edge state.

• OSTI ID: 22482074
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 107; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BUCKLING
DENSITY OF STATES
FERMI LEVEL
GERMANENE
HONEYCOMB STRUCTURES
LATTICE PARAMETERS
PERIODICITY
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SHAPE
SPECTROSCOPY
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K