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Title: Fabrication of nanopores in a graphene sheet with heavy ions: A molecular dynamics study

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4837657· OSTI ID:22217788
; ;  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)
  2. Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic China (China)

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the formation process of nanopores in a suspended graphene sheet irradiated by using energetic ions though a mask. By controlling the ion parameters including mass, energy, and incident angle, different kinds of topography were observed in the graphene sheet. Net-like defective structures with carbon atom chains can be formed at low ion fluences, which provide the possibility to functionalize the irradiated sample with subsequent chemical methods; finally a perfect nanopore with smooth edge appears when the ion fluence is high enough. We found that the dependence of ion damage efficiency on ion fluence, energy, and incident angle are different from that predicted by the semi-empirical model based on the binary-collision approximation, which results from the special structure of graphene. Our results demonstrate that it is feasible to fabricate controlled nanopores/nanostructures in graphene via heavy ion irradiation.

OSTI ID:
22217788
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 114, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English