A far-ultraviolet-driven photoevaporation flow observed in a protoplanetary disk

Most low-mass stars form in stellar clusters that also contain massive stars, which are sources of far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation. Theoretical models predict that this FUV radiation produces photodissociation regions (PDRs) on the surfaces of protoplanetary disks around low-mass stars, which affects planet formation within the disks. We report James Webb Space Telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter Array observations of a FUV-irradiated protoplanetary disk in the Orion Nebula. Emission lines are detected from the PDR; modeling their kinematics and excitation allowed us to constrain the physical conditions within the gas. We quantified the mass-loss rate induced by the FUV irradiation and found that it is sufficient to remove gas from the disk in less than a million years. This is rapid enough to affect giant planet formation in the disk.

Exciting H2 Molecules for Graphene Functionalization

Hydrogen functionalization of graphene by exposure to vibrationally excited H₂ molecules is investigated by combined scanning tunneling microscopy, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, and density functional theory calculations. The measurements reveal that vibrationally excited H₂ molecules dissociatively adsorb on graphene on Ir(111) resulting in nanopatterned hydrogen functionalization structures. Calculations demonstrate that the presence of the Ir surface below the graphene lowers the H₂ dissociative adsorption barrier and allows for the adsorption reaction at energies well below the dissociation threshold of the H-H bond. The first reacting H₂ molecule must contain considerable vibrational energy to overcome the dissociative adsorption barrier. However, this initial adsorption further activates the surface resulting in reduced barriers for dissociative adsorption of subsequent H₂ molecules. This enables functionalization by H₂ molecules with lower vibrational energy, yielding an avalanche effect for the hydrogenation reaction. These results provide an example of a catalytically active graphene-coated surface and additionally set the stage for a re-interpretation of previous experimental work involving elevated H₂ background gas pressures in the presence of hot filaments.

Symmetry-Driven Band Gap Engineering in Hydrogen Functionalized Graphene

Band gap engineering in hydrogen functionalized graphene is demonstrated by changing the symmetry of the functionalization structures. Small differences in hydrogen adsorbate binding energies on graphene on Ir(111) allow tailoring of highly periodic functionalization structures favoring one distinct region of the moiré supercell. Scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that a highly periodic hydrogen functionalized graphene sheet can thus be prepared by controlling the sample temperature (T_s) during hydrogen functionalization. At deposition temperatures of T_s = 645 K and above, hydrogen adsorbs exclusively on the HCP regions of the graphene/Ir(111) moiré structure. This finding is rationalized in terms of a slight preference for hydrogen clusters in the HCP regions over the FCC regions, as found by density functional theory calculations. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that the preferential functionalization of just one region of the moiré supercell results in a band gap opening with very limited associated band broadening. Thus, hydrogenation at elevated sample temperatures provides a pathway to efficient band gap engineering in graphene via the selective functionalization of specific regions of the moiré structure.

Bandgap opening in graphene induced by patterned hydrogen adsorption

Graphene, a single layer of graphite, has recently attracted considerable attention owing to its remarkable electronic and structural properties and its possible applications in many emerging areas such as graphene-based electronic devices. The charge carriers in graphene behave like massless Dirac fermions, and graphene shows ballistic charge transport, turning it into an ideal material for circuit fabrication. However, graphene lacks a bandgap around the Fermi level, which is the defining concept for semiconductor materials and essential for controlling the conductivity by electronic means. Theory predicts that a tunable bandgap may be engineered by periodic modulations of the graphene lattice, but experimental evidence for this is so far lacking. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a bandgap opening in graphene, induced by the patterned adsorption of atomic hydrogen onto the Moiré superlattice positions of graphene grown on an Ir(111) substrate.

Clustering of chemisorbed H(D) atoms on the graphite (0001) surface due to preferential sticking

We present scanning tunneling microscopy experiments and density functional theory calculations which reveal a unique mechanism for the formation of hydrogen adsorbate clusters on graphite surfaces. Our results show that diffusion of hydrogen atoms is largely inactive and that clustering is a consequence of preferential sticking into specific adsorbate structures. These surprising findings are caused by reduced or even vanishing adsorption barriers for hydrogen in the vicinity of already adsorbed H atoms on the surface and point to a possible novel route to interstellar H2 formation.

High translational energy release in H2 (D2) associative desorption from H (D) chemisorbed on C(0001)

Highly energetic translational energy distributions are reported for hydrogen and deuterium molecules desorbing associatively from the atomic chemisorption states on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Laser assisted associative desorption is used to measure the time of flight of molecules desorbing from a hydrogen (deuterium) saturated HOPG surface produced by atomic exposure from a thermal atom source at around 2100 K. The translational energy distributions normal to the surface are very broad, from approximately 0.5 to approximately 3 eV, with a peak at approximately 1.3 eV. The highest translational energy measured is close to the theoretically predicted barrier height. The angular distribution of the desorbing molecules is sharply peaked along the surface normal and is consistent with thermal broadening contributing to energy release parallel to the surface. All results are in qualitative agreement with recent density functional theory calculations suggesting a lowest energy para-type dimer recombination path.

Metastable structures and recombination pathways for atomic hydrogen on the graphite (0001) surface

We present scanning tunneling microscopy results which reveal the existence of two distinct hydrogen dimer states on graphite basal planes. Density functional theory calculations allow us to identify the atomic structure of these states and to determine their recombination and desorption pathways. Direct recombination is only possible from one of the two dimer states. This results in increased stability of one dimer species and explains the puzzling double peak structure observed in temperature programmed desorption spectra for hydrogen on graphite.

Influence of surface morphology on D2 desorption kinetics from amorphous solid water

The influence of surface morphology/porosity on the desorption kinetics of weakly bound species was investigated by depositing D2 on amorphous solid water (ASW) films grown by low temperature vapor deposition under various conditions and with differing thermal histories. A broad distribution of binding energies of the D2 monolayer on nonporous and porous ASW was measured experimentally and correlated by theoretical calculations to differences in the degree of coordination of the adsorbed H2 (D2) to H2O molecules in the ASW depending on the nature of the adsorption site, i.e., surface valleys vs surface peaks in a nanoscale rough film surface. For porous films, the effect of porosity on the desorption kinetics was observed to be a reduction in the desorption rate with film thickness and a change in peak shape. This can be partly explained by fast diffusion into the ASW pore structure via a simple one-dimensional diffusion model and by a change in binding energy statistics with increasing total effective surface area. Furthermore, the D2 desorption kinetics on thermally annealed ASW films were investigated. The main effect was seen to be a reduction in porosity and in the number of highly coordinated binding sites with anneal temperature due to ASW restructuring and pore collapse. These results contribute to the understanding of desorption from porous materials and to the development of correct models for desorption from and catalytic processes on dust grain surfaces in the interstellar medium.

Importance of Surface Morphology in Interstellar H 2 Formation

Detailed laboratory experiments on the formation of HD from atom recombination on amorphous solid water films show that this process is extremely efficient in a temperature range of 8 to 20 kelvin, temperatures relevant for H2 formation on dust grain surfaces in the interstellar medium (ISM). The fate of the 4.5 electron volt recombination energy is highly dependent on film morphology. These results suggest that grain morphology, rather than the detailed chemical nature of the grain surface, is most important in determining the energy content of the H2 as it is released from the grain into the ISM.

Structural properties of two-component coulomb crystals in linear paul traps

We report on structural properties of two-component Coulomb crystals in a linear Paul trap. The crystals consist of two laser cooled ion species, 24Mg+ and 40Ca+. The lighter 24Mg+ ions form an inner cylindrical crystal structure surprisingly similar to that of an infinitely long single component crystal, while the outermost shell of the surrounding 40Ca+ ions have a spheroidal shape, which is highly insensitive to the presence of the 24Mg+ ions. Observed changes in the radial separation of the two ion species with the radius of the inner cylindrical crystal is explained by a simple model.