Article
Chemistry, Physical
Filippo Fabbri, Manuela Scarselli, Naveen Shetty, Sergey Kubatkin, Samuel Lara-Avila, Mathieu Abel, Isabelle Berbezier, Holger Vach, Matteo Salvato, Maurizio De Crescenzi, Paola Castrucci
Summary: Epitaxial graphene has been proven to be an excellent substrate for synthesizing two-dimensional materials. Silicene, a highly anticipated material, has been successfully grown on a slightly defective epitaxial graphene network, opening possibilities for controlled intercalation of silicon atoms and future nanotechnology applications.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Haojie Guo, Mariano D. Jimenez-Sanchez, Antonio J. Martinez-Galera, Jose M. Gomez-Rodriguez
Summary: Researchers have successfully used the quasi-1D stripe-like moire pattern on graphene grown on Rh(110) to guide the formation of 1D molecular wires. The preferential adsorption orientations of chloro-aluminum phthalocyanine (ClAlPc) molecules have been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) at 40 K. The study sheds light on the mechanism behind the templated growth of 1D molecular structures and provides insights for tailoring such structures on graphene grown on non-hexagonal metal substrates.
Article
Physics, Applied
Tae Soo Kim, Taemin Ahn, Tae-Hwan Kim, Hee Cheul Choi, Han Woong Yeom
Summary: Recent research shows that atomic oxygen can oxidize epitaxial graphene in a vacuum without causing damage. In this study, the effects of chemisorbed atomic oxygen on the electronic properties of graphene were investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The results reveal that oxygen atoms can modify the electronic states of graphene, creating a bandgap at its Dirac point. Additionally, it was demonstrated that selective desorption or hopping of oxygen atoms can be induced with atomic precision using appropriate bias sweeps with an STM tip. These findings suggest the potential for atomic-scale tailoring of graphene oxide and the development of graphene-based atomic-scale electronic devices.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexander Mehler, Nicolas Neel, Elena Voloshina, Yuriy Dedkov, Jorg Kroger
Summary: The study demonstrates the growth of graphene on h-BN through thermal decomposition and catalytic assistance of metal substrates, as well as the epitaxial growth of h-BN on Pt(111). Different honeycomb structures of graphene on h-BN and the observation of distinct superstructures at small probe-surface distances are highlighted in this study.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yohan Kim, Huijun Han, Da Luo, Rodney S. Ruoff, Hyung-Joon Shin
Summary: The structural and electronic properties of graphene grown on catalytic metal surfaces are significantly modified due to the interaction between graphene and the substrate. To minimize the influence of the metal substrate, NaCl thin films can be introduced as intercalation layers to decouple graphene from the metal substrate, resulting in quasi-freestanding graphene.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi-Ying Sung, Harmina Vejayan, Christopher J. Baddeley, Neville V. Richardson, Federico Grillo, Renald Schaub
Summary: On-surface synthesis with designer precursor molecules is an effective method for preparing graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with tunable electronic properties. The band gap of GNRs doped with heteroatoms remains unchanged, but hydrogenation can engineer a tunable band gap. Surface-confined hydrogenation studies on 7-armchair GNRs grown on Au(111) surfaces reveal a self-limited hydrogenation process. The electronic properties of the GNR/Au(111) system can be modified by edge and basal-plane hydrogenation, and a mechanism for the hydrogenation process is proposed.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Zhang, Di Huang, Lehua Gu, Yuan Wang, Shiwei Wu
Summary: Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer novel properties and functionalities due to their superior tunability, but also face challenges from defects and disorders. This study investigates the interaction between individual dopants in the substrate and 2D materials, revealing the formation of electron-hole puddles in epitaxial graphene. These findings are expected to enhance the quality improvement of graphene and other 2D materials.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander Kerelsky, Carmen Rubio-Verdu, Lede Xian, Dante M. Kennes, Dorri Halbertal, Nathan Finney, Larry Song, Simon Turkel, Lei Wang, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, James Hone, Cory Dean, Dmitri N. Basov, Angel Rubio, Abhay N. Pasupathy
Summary: This study demonstrates the formation of emergent correlated phases in multilayer rhombohedral graphene without the need for twisted van der Waals layers. The study shows that two layers of bilayer graphene twisted by a tiny angle can host large regions of uniform rhombohedral four-layer graphene with a sharp van Hove singularity. Furthermore, the study suggests that the broken symmetry state in ABCA graphene could be attributed to a charge-transfer excitonic insulator or a ferrimagnet.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Estelle Mazaleyrat, Sergio Vlaic, Alexandre Artaud, Laurence Magaud, Thomas Vincent, Ana Cristina Gomez-Herrero, Simone Lisi, Priyank Singh, Nedjma Bendiab, Valerie Guisset, Philippe David, Stephane Pons, Dimitri Roditchev, Claude Chapelier, Johann Coraux
Summary: This study introduces a strategy to induce superconductivity in epitaxial graphene via a remote proximity effect using an intercalated gold layer. The experiments demonstrate a weak interaction between graphene and gold, enabling superconductivity, and reveal the main shortcoming of the intercalation approach is the creation of a high density of point defects in graphene.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
V. Carnevali, A. Sala, P. Biasin, M. Panighel, G. Comelli, M. Peressi, C. Africh
Summary: The electronic properties of graphene can be modified by local interaction with a metal substrate. This article proposes a reliable method of evaluating the interaction between graphene and substrate by testing the tunneling current. This method expands the capabilities of standard STM systems for studying graphene/substrate complexes.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Thi Thuy Nhung Nguyen, Stephen R. Power, Hrag Karakachian, Ulrich Starke, Christoph Tegenkamp
Summary: This study investigates the impact of edge and width variations of graphene nanoribbons on quantum confinement effects. The researchers found that regardless of the ribbon width, the band gaps near the edges of the nanoribbons are significantly reduced, and edge passivation plays a crucial role in determining the local electronic properties of epitaxial nanoribbons.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel J. Rizzo, Sara Shabani, Bjarke S. Jessen, Jin Zhang, Alexander S. McLeod, Carmen Rubio-Verdu, Francesco L. Ruta, Matthew Cothrine, Jiaqiang Yan, David G. Mandrus, Stephen E. Nagler, Angel Rubio, James C. Hone, Cory R. Dean, Abhay N. Pasupathy, D. N. Basov
Summary: The researchers successfully created nanometer-scale lateral p-n junctions using graphene/alpha-RuCl3 heterostructure near graphene nanobubbles. Through STM/STS and s-SNOM techniques, they investigated the electronic and optical responses of nanobubble p-n junctions, achieving p-n junctions with a width of around 3 nm and an electric field of approximately 10(8) V/m. The study also utilized ab initio density functional theory calculations to corroborate experimental data and provide insights into charge transfer mechanisms in 2D materials.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Mingmin Yang, Yong Duan, Wenxia Kong, Jinzhe Zhang, Jianxin Wang, Qun Cai
Summary: Intercalation of Er atoms beneath monolayer graphene on SiC(0001) is achieved by annealing at 900 °C. The intercalation sites are mainly located at the buffer-layer/monolayer-graphene interface. Different behaviors of Er intercalation are observed in monolayer and bilayer regions. The appearance of Er atoms has distinct impacts on the electronic transports of epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001).
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mariano D. Jimenez-Sanchez, Nour Sanchez-Abad, Nicoleta Nicoara, Jose M. Gomez-Rodriguez
Summary: In this study, the self-assembled structure and electronic structure of chloroaluminum phthalocyanines (ClAlPc) on graphene grown on Pt(111) surfaces were investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and low-temperature conditions. Well-ordered molecular islands with rotational domains were observed in the submonolayer regime, with the ClAlPc molecules adopting a Cl-Up configuration. The correlation between molecular lattice orientation and graphene directions was identified, while no influence of the underlying moire ' patterns was found.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiucheng Li, Xiaolong Liu, Eden B. Aklile, Shaowei Li, Mark C. Hersam
Summary: The study reports the self-assembly of mixed-dimensional lateral heterostructures consisting of 2D metallic borophene and 1D semiconducting armchair-oriented graphene nanoribbons (aGNRs). The systematic study and refinement of on-surface polymerization process from monomers to organometallic intermediates to demetallization result in borophene/aGNR lateral heterojunctions with structurally and electronically abrupt interfaces, providing insight for precise nanoelectronics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhangliu Tian, Yumin Da, Meng Wang, Xinyu Dou, Xinhang Cui, Jie Chen, Rui Jiang, Shibo Xi, Baihua Cui, Yani Luo, Haotian Yang, Yu Long, Yukun Xiao, Wei Chen
Summary: Photoelectrochemical oxidation provides a promising strategy for glucaric acid production. In this work, selective oxidation of glucose to glucaric acid is realized on the photoanode of defective TiO2 decorated with single-atom Pt via a photoelectrochemical strategy. By optimizing oxygen vacancies, the defective TiO2 photoanode exhibits greatly improved charge separation, significantly enhanced selectivity, and yield of C-6 products.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yumin Da, Zhangliu Tian, Rui Jiang, Yuan Liu, Xu Lian, Shibo Xi, Yi Shi, Yongping Wang, Haotian Lu, Baihua Cui, Jinfeng Zhang, Xiaopeng Han, Wei Chen, Wenbin Hu
Summary: This paper reports the synthesis of a PtNi-NC catalyst with high catalytic activity. Density functional theory calculations reveal that PtNi dual atoms generate a synergistic effect by modulating the local electronic structure and optimizing the charge distribution, contributing to optimized adsorption properties and enhanced electrocatalytic performance. This work provides a new avenue for the fabrication of dual-atom catalysts.
SCIENCE CHINA-MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Condensed Matter
Meng Liu, Hongyan Ji, Zhaoming Fu, Yeliang Wang, Jia-Tao Sun, Hong-Jun Gao
Summary: Recent experiments confirm that two-dimensional boron nitride (BN) films possess room-temperature out-of-plane ferroelectricity when each BN layer is sliding with respect to each other. This study investigates the sliding ferroelectricity from the perspective of orbital distortion of long-pair electrons. The results indicate that the interlayer van der Waals interaction causes the distortion of the N p(z) orbitals. Based on the picture of out-of-plane orbital distortion, a possible mechanism to tune the ferroelectric polarization by external fields is proposed.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jian Gou, Hua Bai, Xuanlin Zhang, Yu Li Huang, Sisheng Duan, A. Ariando, Shengyuan A. Yang, Lan Chen, Yunhao Lu, Andrew Thye Shen Wee
Summary: Conventional ferroelectric compounds require at least two constituent ions for polarization switching. However, in a black phosphorus-like bismuth layer, a single-element ferroelectric state is observed, with concurrent ordered charge transfer and regular atom distortion between sublattices. The Bi atoms in the black phosphorous-like Bi monolayer exhibit a weak and anisotropic sp orbital hybridization, leading to the inversion-symmetry-broken buckled structure and charge redistribution. The in-plane electric polarization is induced in the Bi monolayer, which is experimentally visualized through scanning probe microscopy.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Li Peize, Lian Xu, Gou Jian, Duan Sisheng, Ding Yishui, Niu Yuxiang, Chen Wei
Summary: Realizing effective Ohmic contact to SiC is a major challenge in high-power and high-frequency SiC electronics. Here, we grew a high-work-function interfacial molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) layer on 4H-SiC(0001) and investigated its surface properties during annealing in different gas environments. The results show that the MoO3 layer tends to be reduced and the surface work function decreases accordingly, making it a promising approach for achieving effective Ohmic contact with SiC.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yumin Da, Rui Jiang, Zhangliu Tian, Ganwen Chen, Yukun Xiao, Jinfeng Zhang, Shibo Xi, Yida Deng, Wei Chen, Xiaopeng Han, Wenbin Hu
Summary: Alloying platinum with early transition metals is a promising approach to optimize catalyst adsorption behaviors. A strategy combining thermal shock technique with electrochemical activation is reported for the first time to prepare Pt3V alloy as a hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst. The as-prepared catalyst exhibits exceptional catalytic activity and durability, outperforming the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst. This work may inspire future research on Pt-based early transition metal alloy catalysts for electrocatalysis.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiang Chen, Xinyue Xu, Yuwen Cheng, He Liu, Dongdong Li, Yumin Da, Yongtao Li, Dongming Liu, Wei Chen
Summary: The study presents a facile strategy to enhance the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of Ni-based materials through doping and interfacial modulation. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that this strategy can effectively tune the binding energies of OER intermediates and reduce the energy barrier, leading to significantly improved OER activity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiangrui Geng, Yishui Ding, Yuan Liu, Xiangyu Hou, Tengyu Jin, Wei Chen
Summary: Achieving effective Ohmic contact between SiC and metal electrodes remains a challenge due to the high Schottky barrier. One promising approach is to introduce a high-work-function interfacial layer. However, the interaction mechanisms between the interfacial layer and the SiC substrate have been rarely studied. In this work, layers of high-work-function MoO3 and Pt were grown on the SiC surface, and the evolutions of the system during annealing under different environments were studied. The results provide a detailed understanding of the Pt/MoO3 interface and its response to various conditions.
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
T. J. Whitcher, A. D. Fauzi, C. Diao, X. Chi, A. Syahroni, T. C. Asmara, M. B. H. Breese, A. H. Castro Neto, A. T. S. Wee, M. A. Majidi, A. Rusydi
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ming Yang, Qunchao Tong, Yayun Yu, Peng Liu, Guang Wang, Jiayu Dai
Summary: We report the phase-controlled growth of ternary monolayer MoSe2xTe2(1-x) alloys induced through in situ doping and composition tuning. The lattice constants, Mo-3d binding energy, and electronic bandgap of the alloys can be tuned by varying the selenium composition. First-principles calculations reveal that the valence band bowing effect of the monolayer alloys is attributed to the difference in coupling between anions and cations. This work provides a new pathway for phase modulation growth and controllable electronic structure of ternary monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide alloys.
Article
Electrochemistry
Yuan Liu, Xu Lian, Xiaojiang Yu, Yuxiang Niu, Jinlin Yang, Yishui Ding, Wei Chen
Summary: This study investigates the interaction processes between alkali metal anodes (AMAs) and organic protective materials containing nitrogen groups. The results show that Li and Na preferentially interact with the outer nitrile groups of the protective material before interacting with the inner imine groups. Additionally, the sodiophilicity difference between the two nitrogen-containing groups is smaller compared to their lithiophilicity difference. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of more effective protective materials in the future.
BATTERIES & SUPERCAPS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yumin Da, Rui Jiang, Zhangliu Tian, Xiaopeng Han, Wei Chen, Wenbin Hu
Summary: The development of cost-effective and highly efficient electrocatalysts is crucial for achieving a low-carbon footprint in the industry. Single-atom alloys (SAAs) have unique electronic structures, well-defined active sites, and maximum atom utilization, making them promising replacements for traditional noble metal catalysts. SAAs can tailor the adsorption properties of reaction species to promote electrocatalytic behaviors.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alfian Noviyanto, Ratih Amalia, Pramitha Yuniar Diah Maulida, Mudzakkir Dioktyanto, Bagas Haqi Arrosyid, Didik Aryanto, Lei Zhang, Andrew T. S. Wee, Arramel
Summary: In this study, manganese oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method with different temperatures and NaOH concentrations. The results showed that temperature and NaOH concentration played important roles in determining the particle size, crystallinity, and oxygen vacancy occupancy of the manganese oxide nanoparticles.
