Single-crystalline transition metal films are ideal playing fields for the epitaxial growth of graphene and graphene-base materials. Graphene-silicon layered structures were successfully constructed on Ir(111) thin film on Si substrate with an yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer via intercalation approach. Such hetero-layered structures are compatible with current Si-based microelectronic technique, showing high promise for applications in future micro- and nano-electronic devices.
A single-crystal sheet of graphene is synthesized on the low-symmetry substrate Ir(110) by thermal decomposition of C$_2$H$_4$ at 1500 K. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and ab initio density functional theory the structure and electronic properties of the adsorbed graphene sheet and its moire with the substrate are uncovered. The adsorbed graphene layer forms a wave pattern of nm wave length with a corresponding modulation of its electronic properties. This wave pattern is demonstrated to enable the templated adsorption of aromatic molecules and the uniaxial growth of organometallic wires. Not limited to this, graphene on Ir(110) is also a versatile substrate for 2D-layer growth and makes it possible to grow epitaxial layers on ureconstructed Ir(110).
Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy we show that upon keV Xe + irradiation of graphene on Ir(111), Xe atoms are trapped under the graphene. Upon annealing, aggregation of Xe leads to graphene bulges and blisters. The efficient trapping is an unexpected and remarkable phenomenon, given the absence of chemical binding of Xe to Ir and to graphene, the weak interaction of a perfect graphene layer with Ir(111), as well as the substantial damage to graphene due to irradiation. By combining molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations with our experiments, we uncover the mechanism of trapping. We describe ways to avoid blister formation during graphene growth, and also demonstrate how ion implantation can be used to intentionally create blisters without introducing damage to the graphene layer. Our approach may provide a pathway to synthesize new materials at a substrate - 2D material interface or to enable confined reactions at high pressures and temperatures.
Graphene is a 2D material that displays excellent electronic transport properties with prospective applications in many fields. Inducing and controlling magnetism in the graphene layer, for instance by proximity of magnetic materials, may enable its utilization in spintronic devices. This paper presents fabrication and detailed characterization of single-layer graphene formed on the surface of epitaxial FeRh thin films. The magnetic state of the FeRh surface can be controlled by temperature, magnetic field or strain due to interconnected order parameters. Characterization of graphene layers by X-ray Photoemission and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, Low-Energy Ion Scattering, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, and Low-Energy Electron Microscopy shows that graphene is single-layer, polycrystalline and covers more than 97% of the substrate. Graphene displays several preferential orientations on the FeRh(001) surface with unit vectors of graphene rotated by 30{deg}, 15{deg}, 11{deg}, and 19{deg} with respect to FeRh substrate unit vectors. In addition, the graphene layer is capable to protect the films from oxidation when exposed to air for several months. Therefore, it can be also used as a protective layer during fabrication of magnetic elements or as an atomically thin spacer, which enables incorporation of switchable magnetic layers within stacks of 2D materials in advanced devices.
Topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) are insulating materials whose topological property relies on generic crystalline symmetries. Based on first-principles calculations, we study a three-dimensional (3D) crystal constructed by stacking two-dimensional TCI layers. Depending on the inter-layer interaction, the layered crystal can realize diverse 3D topological phases characterized by two mirror Chern numbers (MCNs) ($mu_1,mu_2$) defined on inequivalent mirror-invariant planes in the Brillouin zone. As an example, we demonstrate that new TCI phases can be realized in layered materials such as a PbSe (001) monolayer/h-BN heterostructure and can be tuned by mechanical strain. Our results shed light on the role of the MCNs on inequivalent mirror-symmetric planes in reciprocal space and open new possibilities for finding new topological materials.
This paper reports the synthesis and detailed characterization of graphite thin films produced by thermal decomposition of the (0001) face of a 6H-SiC wafer, demonstrating the successful growth of single crystalline films down to approximately one graphene layer. The growth and characterization were carried out in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The growth process and sample quality were monitored by low-energy electron diffraction, and the thickness of the sample was determined by core level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy shows constant energy map patterns, which are very sharp and fully momentum-resolved, but nonetheless not resolution limited. We discuss the implications of this observation in connection with scanning electron microscopy data, as well as with previous studies.