Interplanar binding and lattice relaxation in a graphite dilayer

Reentrant semiconducting behavior in polymerized fullerite structures with increasing sp3-carbon content

The electronic behavior of polymerized fullerite structures, ranging from one-dimensional to three-dimensional polymers, was studied using density functional theory with the hybrid Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof functional and a 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The bandgap across these structures decreases with the rise of sp3-carbon content until metallic behavior is observed. A further increase induces a reopening of the bandgap, revealing a reentrant semiconducting behavior in this class of materials. This behavior is understood in terms of the new electronic states originated by polymeric bonding and the effect of the volume reduction on the dispersion of sp2-states. This study highlights the fullerite polymers as a magnificent platform to tune electronic properties.

Controllable Doping in 2D Layered Materials

For each generation of semiconductors, the issue of doping techniques is always placed at the top of the priority list since it determines whether a material can be used in the electronic and optoelectronic industry or not. When it comes to 2D materials, significant challenges have been found in controllably doping 2D semiconductors into p- or n-type, let alone developing a continuous control of this process. Here, a unique self-modulated doping characteristic in 2D layered materials such as PtSSe, PtS_0.8 Se_1.2 , PdSe₂ , and WSe₂ is reported. The varying number of vertically stacked-monolayers is the critical factor for controllably tuning the same material from p-type to intrinsic, and to n-type doping. Importantly, it is found that the thickness-induced lattice deformation makes defects in PtSSe transit from Pt vacancies to anion vacancies based on dynamic and thermodynamic analyses, which leads to p- and n-type conductance, respectively. By thickness-modulated doping, WSe₂ diode exhibits a high rectification ratio of 4400 and a large open-circuit voltage of 0.38 V. Meanwhile, the PtSSe detector overcomes the shortcoming of large dark-current in narrow-bandgap optoelectronic devices. All these findings provide a brand-new perspective for fundamental scientific studies and applications.

Low-Energy Electron Inelastic Mean Free Path of Graphene Measured by a Time-of-Flight Spectrometer

The detailed examination of electron scattering in solids is of crucial importance for the theory of solid-state physics, as well as for the development and diagnostics of novel materials, particularly those for micro- and nanoelectronics. Among others, an important parameter of electron scattering is the inelastic mean free path (IMFP) of electrons both in bulk materials and in thin films, including 2D crystals. The amount of IMFP data available is still not sufficient, especially for very slow electrons and for 2D crystals. This situation motivated the present study, which summarizes pilot experiments for graphene on a new device intended to acquire electron energy-loss spectra (EELS) for low landing energies. Thanks to its unique properties, such as electrical conductivity and transparency, graphene is an ideal candidate for study at very low energies in the transmission mode of an electron microscope. The EELS are acquired by means of the very low-energy electron microspectroscopy of 2D crystals, using a dedicated ultra-high vacuum scanning low-energy electron microscope equipped with a time-of-flight (ToF) velocity analyzer. In order to verify our pilot results, we also simulate the EELS by means of density functional theory (DFT) and the many-body perturbation theory. Additional DFT calculations, providing both the total density of states and the band structure, illustrate the graphene loss features. We utilize the experimental EELS data to derive IMFP values using the so-called log-ratio method.

Anomalous Stopping and Charge Transfer in Proton-Irradiated Graphene

We use first-principles calculations to uncover and explain a new type of anomalous low-velocity stopping effect in proton-irradiated graphene. We attribute a shoulder feature that occurs exclusively for channeling protons to enhanced electron capture from σ- and π-orbitals. Our analysis of electron emission indicates that backward emission is more sensitive to proton trajectory than forward emission and could thus produce higher contrast images in ion microscopy. For slow protons, we observe a steep drop in emission, consistent with predictions from analytical models.

Properties of Bilayer Graphene Quantum Dots for Integrated Optics: An Ab Initio Study

Due to their bandgap engineering capabilities for optoelectronics applications, the study of nano-graphene has been a topic of interest to researchers in recent years. Using a first-principles study based on density functional theory (DFT) and thermal DFT, we investigated the electronic structures and optical properties of bilayer graphene quantum dots (GQDs). The dielectric tensors, absorption spectra, and the refractive indexes of the bilayer GQDs were obtained for both in-plane and out-of-plane polarization. In addition, we calculated the absorption spectra via time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) in the linear response regime. The TDDFT results show that a blue shift occurs in the absorption spectrum, which is consistent with the experimental results. In this investigation, we consider triangular and hexagonal GQDs of various sizes with zigzag and armchair edges. Our simulations show that unlike monolayer GQDs, for which light absorption for out-of-plane polarization occurs in the ultraviolet wavelength range of 85–250 nm, the out-of-plane polarization light absorption peaks in the bilayer GQDs appear in the near-infrared range of 500–1600 nm, similar to those in bilayer graphene sheets. The out-of-plane polarization light absorption peaks in the near-infrared range make bilayer GQDs suitable for integrated optics and optical communication applications.

Massive and massless charge carriers in an epitaxially strained alkali metal quantum well on graphene

We show that Cs intercalated bilayer graphene acts as a substrate for the growth of a strained Cs film hosting quantum well states with high electronic quality. The Cs film grows in an fcc phase with a substantially reduced lattice constant of 4.9 Å corresponding to a compressive strain of 11% compared to bulk Cs. We investigate its electronic structure using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and show the coexistence of massless Dirac and massive Schrödinger charge carriers in two dimensions. Analysis of the electronic self-energy of the massive charge carriers reveals the crystallographic direction in which a two-dimensional Fermi gas is realized. Our work introduces the growth of strained metal quantum wells on intercalated Dirac matter.

Cesium atoms that are grown on intercalated bilayer graphene can create an ordered epitaxial film. Here, the authors report that such a strained film can host quantum well states with high electronic quality as characterized through angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy.

Simulation of the Raman spectroscopy of multi-layered carbon nanomaterials

A empirical potential based model for simulating the Raman spectroscopy of layered carbon nanomaterials is introduced.

Adsorption Behaviors of Cobalt on the Graphite and SiC Surface: A First-Principles Study

Graphite and silicon carbide (SiC) are important materials of fuel elements in High Temperature Reactor-Pebble-bed Modules (HTR-PM) and it is essential to analyze the source term about the radioactive products adsorbed on graphite and SiC surface in HTR-PM. In this article, the adsorption behaviors of activation product Cobalt (Co) on graphite and SiC surface have been studied with the first-principle calculation, including the adsorption energy, charge density difference, density of states, and adsorption ratios. It shows that the adsorption behaviors of Co on graphite and SiC both belong to chemisorption, with an adsorption energy 2.971 eV located at the Hollow site and 6.677 eV located at the hcp-Hollow site, respectively. Combining the charge density difference and density of states, it indicates that the interaction of Co-SiC system is stronger than Co-graphite system. Furthermore, the variation of adsorption ratios of Co on different substrate is obtained by a model of grand canonical ensemble, and it is found that when the temperature is close to 650 K and 1700 K for graphite surface and SiC surface, respectively, the Co adatom on the substrate will desorb dramatically. These results show that SiC layer in fuel element could obstruct the diffusion of Co effectively in normal and accidental operation conditions, but the graphite may become a carrier of Co radioactivity nuclide in the primary circuit of HTR-PM.

Strain and electric field co-modulation of electronic properties of bilayer boronitrene

The electronic properties of bilayer strained boronitrenes are investigated under an external electric field using density functional methods. Our result is just the same as the previous conclusion: ie, that the electric field will reduce their band gaps. Except for the decrease of their band gaps, the degeneracy of π valence bands at K points will be lifted and the degenerate gap will increase with the electric field increasing. Moreover, the widths of π valence bands are nearly robust and increase a little. In addition, a simple tight-binding model, where different electrostatic potentials are applied to boronitrene layers, can be sufficient to describe the variations of their band gaps. It is found that the interlayer hopping interaction increases while the intralayer hopping parameter changes little with increasing the electric field. Furthermore, a band gap phase diagram is determined within the in-plane strain [-0.2, 0.2] and the interlayer bias [0, 10] V nm(-1). The strain could make the bottom of conduction bands shift from K to M, then to Γ in the Brillouin zone, while the top of valence bands shifts from K to Γ. Thus, a direct-gap semiconductor at K points is changed into an indirect-gap semiconductor, and then a semiconductor with the direct band gap at Γ points. When bilayer boronitrene is a semiconductor with a direct gap at K points, the electric field and strain are inverse proportional relationships. Particularly, when the compressive strain exceeds  -0.194, there is an insulator-metal transition and the system becomes metallic with sizable pocket Fermi surfaces.

Dioxin sensing properties of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride based van der Waals solids: a first-principles study

The changes in the electronic properties of single and bilayers of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride two dimensional sheets have been investigated upon interaction with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin by employing the DFT calculations.

Soliton instability and fold formation in laterally compressed graphene

We investigate-through simulations and analytical calculations-the consequences of uniaxial lateral compression applied to the upper layer of multilayer graphene. The simulations of compressed graphene show that strains larger than 2.8% induce soliton-like deformations that further develop into large, mobile folds. Such folds were indeed experimentally observed in graphene and other solid lubricants two-dimensional (2D) materials. Interestingly, in the soliton-fold regime, the shear stress decreases with the strain s, initially as s(-2/3) and rapidly going to zero. Such instability is consistent with the recently observed negative dynamic compressibility of 2D materials. We also predict that the curvatures of the soliton-folds are given by r(c) = δ√(β/2α) where 1 ≤ δ ≤ 2 and β and α are respectively related to the layer bending modulus and to the interlayer binding energy of the material. This finding might allow experimental estimates of the β/α ratio of 2D materials from fold morphology.

Real-time observation of interlayer vibrations in bilayer and few-layer graphene

We report real-time observation of the interlayer shearing mode, corresponding to the lateral oscillation of graphene planes, for bi- and few-layer graphene. Using a femtosecond pump-probe technique, we have followed coherent oscillations of this vibrational mode directly in the time domain. The shearing-mode frequency, as expected for an interlayer mode, exhibits a strong and systematic dependence on the number of layers, varying from 1.32 THz for the bulk limit to 0.85 THz for bilayer graphene. We explored the role of interactions with the external environment on this vibrational mode by comparing the response observed for graphene layers supported by different substrates and suspended in free space. No significant frequency shifts were observed.

The electronic properties of bilayer graphene

We review the electronic properties of bilayer graphene, beginning with a description of the tight-binding model of bilayer graphene and the derivation of the effective Hamiltonian describing massive chiral quasiparticles in two parabolic bands at low energies. We take into account five tight-binding parameters of the Slonczewski-Weiss-McClure model of bulk graphite plus intra- and interlayer asymmetry between atomic sites which induce band gaps in the low-energy spectrum. The Hartree model of screening and band-gap opening due to interlayer asymmetry in the presence of external gates is presented. The tight-binding model is used to describe optical and transport properties including the integer quantum Hall effect, and we also discuss orbital magnetism, phonons and the influence of strain on electronic properties. We conclude with an overview of electronic interaction effects.

Silicene beyond mono-layers--different stacking configurations and their properties

We carry out a computational study on the geometric and electronic properties of multi-layers of silicene in different stacking configurations using state-of-the-art ab initio density functional theory based calculations. In this work we investigate the evolution of these properties with increasing number of layers (n) ranging from 1 to 10. Although a mono-layer of silicene possesses properties similar to those of graphene, our results show that the geometric and electronic properties of multi-layers of silicene are strikingly different from those of multi-layers of graphene. We observe that strong inter-layer covalent bonding exists between the layers in multi-layers of silicene as opposed to weak van der Waals bonding which exists between the graphene layers. The inter-layer bonding strongly influences the geometric and electronic structures of these multi-layers. Like bi-layers of graphene, silicene with two different stacking configurations AA and AB exhibits linear and parabolic dispersions around the Fermi level, respectively. However, unlike graphene, for bi-layers of silicene, these dispersion curves are shifted in the band diagram; this is due to the strong inter-layer bonding present in the latter. For n > 3, we study the geometric and electronic properties of multi-layers with four different stacking configurations, namely AAAA, AABB, ABAB and ABC. Our results on cohesive energy show that all the multi-layers considered are energetically stable. Furthermore, we find that the three stacking configurations (AAAA, AABB and ABC) containing tetrahedral coordination have much higher cohesive energy than the Bernal (ABAB) stacking configuration. This is in contrast to the case of multi-layers of graphene, where ABAB is reported to be the lowest energy configuration. We also observe that bands near the Fermi level in lower energy stacking configurations AAAA, AABB and ABC correspond to the surface atoms and these surface states are responsible for the semi-metallic character of these multi-layers.

Synthesis and electronic properties of chemically functionalized graphene on metal surfaces

A review on the electronic properties, growth and functionalization of graphene on metals is presented. Starting from the derivation of the electronic properties of an isolated graphene layer using the nearest neighbor tight-binding (TB) approximation for π and σ electrons, the TB model is then extended to third-nearest neighbors and interlayer coupling. The latter is relevant to few-layer graphene and graphite. Next, the conditions under which epitaxial graphene can be obtained by chemical vapor deposition are reviewed with a particular emphasis on the Ni(111) surface. Regarding functionalization, I first discuss the intercalation of monolayer Au into the graphene/Ni(111) interface, which renders graphene quasi-free-standing. The Au intercalated quasi-free-standing graphene is then the basis for chemical functionalization. Functionalization of graphene is classified into covalent, ionic and substitutional functionalization. As archetypical examples for these three possibilities I discuss covalent functionalization by hydrogen, ionic functionalization by alkali metals and substitutional functionalization by nitrogen heteroatoms.

Electronic structure and quantum transport properties of trilayers formed from graphene and boron nitride

We report the results of a theoretical study of graphene/BN/graphene and BN/graphene/BN trilayers using the van-der-Waals-corrected density functional theory in conjunction with the non-equilibrium Green's Function method. These trilayer systems formed from graphene and BN exhibit distinct stacking-dependent features in their ground state electronic structure and response to an applied electric field perpendicular to the trilayer planes. The graphene/BN/graphene system shows a negligible gap in the electronic band structure that increases for the AAA and ABA stackings under an external electric field, while the zero-field band gap of BN/graphene/BN remains unaffected by the electric field. When both types of trilayer systems are contacted with gold electrodes, a metal-like conduction is predicted in the low-field regime, which changes to a p-type conduction with an increase in the applied perpendicular bias field.

Chirality-assisted electronic cloaking of confined States in bilayer graphene

We show that the strong coupling of pseudospin orientation and charge carrier motion in bilayer graphene has a drastic effect on transport properties of ballistic p-n-p junctions. Electronic states with zero momentum parallel to the barrier are confined under it for one pseudospin orientation, whereas states with the opposite pseudospin tunnel through the junction totally uninfluenced by the presence of confined states. We demonstrate that the junction acts as a cloak for confined states, making them nearly invisible to electrons in the outer regions over a range of incidence angles. This behavior is manifested in the two-terminal conductance as transmission resonances with non-Lorentzian, singular peak shapes. The response of these phenomena to a weak magnetic field or electric-field-induced interlayer gap can serve as an experimental fingerprint of electronic cloaking.

Exploring group 14 structures: 1D to 2D to 3D

Various one-, two- and three-dimensional Group 14 (C, Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb) element structures at P = 1 atm are studied in this work. As expected, coordination number (CN)--not an unambiguous concept for extended structures--plays an important part in the stability of structures. Carbon not only favors four-coordination, but also is quite happy with pi-bonding, allowing three- and even two-coordination to compete. Highly coordinated (CN > 4) discrete carbon molecules are rare; that "saturation of valence" is reflected in the instability of C extended structures with CN > 4. Si and Ge are quite similar to each other in their preferences. They are less biased in their coordination than C, allowing (as their molecular structures do) CN = 5 and 6, but tending towards four-coordination. Sn and Pb 3D structures are very flexible in their bonding, so that in these elements four- to twelve-coordinate structures are close in energy. This lack of discrimination among ordered structures also points to an approach to the liquid state, consistent with the low melting point of Sn and Pb. The Group 14 liquid structures we simulate in molecular dynamics calculations show the expected, effective, first coordination number increase from 5.1 for Si to 10.4 for Pb. A special point of interest emerging from our study is the instability of potential multilayer graphene structures down Group 14. Only for C will these be stable; for all the other Group 14 elements pristine, unprotected, bi- and multilayer graphenes should collapse, forming "vertical" bonds as short as the in-plane ones.

Density functional theory study of multiply ionized weakly bound fullerene dimers

Multiply ionized fullerene dimers ([C(60)](2) (q+),q=1-6) have been studied by means of state-of-the-art density functional theory methods. We found that the singly charged dimer is more strongly bound than the corresponding neutral van der Waals dimer at the binding distance of the latter; in contrast, multiply charged dimers (q>or=2) are unstable. For the latter dimers, the calculated kinetic energy release in the binary fission yielding intact fullerenes is lower than those reported in recent experimental work. This implies that, in such experiments, there are significant internal excitations in the separating monomers. We also show that electron transfer within the charged dimers occurs on the subfemtosecond time scale, in accordance with the high charge mobility observed in dimers and larger clusters of fullerenes. This provides an explanation for the even-odd effects in the measured multiple ionization yields of fullerene dimers.

Magnetism in graphene due to single-atom defects: dependence on the concentration and packing geometry of defects

The magnetism in graphene due to single-atom defects is examined by using spin-polarized density functional theory. The magnetic moment per defect due to substitutional atoms and vacancy defects is dependent on the density of defects, while that due to adatom defects is independent of the density of defects. It reduces to zero with decrease in the density of substitutional atoms. However, it increases with decrease in density of vacancies. The graphene sheet with B adatoms is nonmagnetic, but with C and N adatoms it is magnetic. The adatom defects distort the graphene sheet near the defect perpendicular to the sheet. The distortion in graphene due to C and N adatoms is significant, while the distortion due to B adatoms is very small. The vacancy and substitutional atom (B, N) defects in graphene are planar in the sense that there is in-plane displacement of C atoms near the vacancy and substitutional defects. Upon relaxation the displacement of C atoms and the formation of pentagons near the vacancy site due to Jahn-Teller distortion depends upon the density and packing geometry of vacancies.

Torsional stick-slip behavior in WS2 nanotubes

We experimentally observed atomic-scale torsional stick-slip behavior in individual nanotubes of tungsten disulfide (WS2). When an external torque is applied to a WS2 nanotube, all its walls initially stick and twist together, until a critical torsion angle, at which the outer wall slips and twists around the inner walls, further undergoing a series of stick-slip torque oscillations. We present a theoretical model based on density-functional-based tight-binding calculations, which explains the torsional stick-slip behavior in terms of a competition between the effects of the in-plane shear stiffness of the WS2 walls and the interwall friction arising from the atomic corrugation of the interaction between adjacent WS2 walls.

Near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure investigation of graphene

We report the near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure (NEXAFS) spectrum of a single layer of graphite (graphene) obtained by micromechanical cleavage of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite on a SiO2 substrate. We utilized a photoemission electron microscope to separately study single-, double-, and few-layers graphene samples. In single-layer graphene we observe a splitting of the pi resonance and a clear signature of the predicted interlayer state. The NEXAFS data illustrate the rapid evolution of the electronic structure with the increased number of layers.

Lithium Adsorption on Graphite from Density Functional Theory Calculations

The structural, energetic, and electronic properties of the Li/graphite system are studied through density functional theory (DFT) calculations using both the local spin density approximation (LSDA), and the gradient-corrected Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) approximation to the exchange-correlation energy. The calculations were performed using plane waves basis, and the electron-core interactions are described using pseudopotentials. We consider a disperse phase of the adsorbate comprising one Li atom for each 16 graphite surface cells, in a slab geometry. The close contact between the Li nucleus and the graphene plane results in a relatively large binding energy (larger than 1.1 eV). A detailed analysis of the electronic charge distribution, density difference distribution, and band structures indicates that one valence electron is entirely transferred from the atom to the surface, which gives rise to a strong interaction between the resulting lithium ion and the cloud of pi electrons in the substrate. We show that it is possible to explain the differences in the binding of Li, Na, and K adatoms on graphite considering the properties of the corresponding cation/aromatic complexes.

Landau-level degeneracy and quantum Hall effect in a graphite bilayer

We derive an effective two-dimensional Hamiltonian to describe the low-energy electronic excitations of a graphite bilayer, which correspond to chiral quasiparticles with a parabolic dispersion exhibiting Berry phase 2pi. Its high-magnetic-field Landau-level spectrum consists of almost equidistant groups of fourfold degenerate states at finite energy and eight zero-energy states. This can be translated into the Hall conductivity dependence on carrier density, sigma(xy)(N), which exhibits plateaus at integer values of 4e2/h and has a double 8e2/h step between the hole and electron gases across zero density, in contrast to (4n + 2)e2/h sequencing in a monolayer.