Different stoichiometric configurations of graphane and graphene fluoride are investigated within density functional theory. Their structural and electronic properties are compared, and we indicate the similarities and differences among the various configurations. Large differences between graphane and graphene fluoride are found that are caused by the presence of charges on the fluorine atoms. A new configuration that is more stable than the boat configuration is predicted for graphene fluoride. We also perform GW calculations for the electronic band gap of both graphene derivatives. These band gaps and also the calculated Young's moduli are at variance with available experimental data. This might indicate that the experimental samples contain a large number of defects or are only partially covered with H or F.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

We study the electronic structure of diluted F atoms chemisorbed on graphene using density functional theory calculations. We show that the nature of the chemical bonding of a F atom adsorbed on top of a C atom in graphene strongly depends on carrier doping. In neutral samples the F impurities induce a sp 3 -like bonding of the C atom below, generating a local distortion of the hexagonal lattice. As the graphene is electron-doped, the C atom retracts back to the graphene plane and for high doping (10 14 cm −2 ) its electronic structure corresponds to a nearly pure sp 2 configuration. We interpret this sp 3 -sp 2 doping-induced crossover in terms of a simple tight binding model and discuss the physical consequences of this change.

The vibrational properties of graphene fluoride and graphane are studied using ab initio calculations. We find that both sp3 bonded derivatives of graphene have different phonon dispersion relations and phonon density of states as expected from the different masses associated with the attached atoms fluorine and hydrogen, respectively. These differences manifest themselves in the predicted temperature behavior of the constant-volume specific heat of both compounds.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, submitte

Using density functional theory (DFT), Hartree-Fock, exact diagonalization, and numerical renormalization group methods we study the electronic structure of diluted hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on graphene. A comparison between DFT and Hartree-Fock calculations allows us to identify the main characteristics of the magnetic structure of the defect. We use this information to formulate an Anderson-Hubbard model that captures the main physical ingredients of the system, while still allowing a rigorous treatment of the electronic correlations. We find that the large hydrogen-carbon hybridization puts the structure of the defect half-way between the one corresponding to an adatom weakly coupled to pristine graphene and a carbon vacancy. The impurity's magnetic moment leaks into the graphene layer where the electronic correlations on the C atoms play an important role in stabilizing the magnetic solution. Finally, we discuss the implications for the Kondo effect.

We present experimental and computational results that enlighten the mechanisms underlying the chemical contribution to surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Gold void metallic arrays electrochemically covered either by a Ag monolayer or 10-100 Ag layers were modified with a self-assembled monolayer of 4-mercaptopyridine as a molecular Raman probe displaying a rich and unexpected Raman response. A resonant increase of the Raman intensity in the red part of the spectrum is observed that cannot be related to plasmon excitations of the cavity-array. Notably, we find an additional 10-20 time increase of the SERS amplification upon deposition of a single Ag layer on the Au substrate, which is, however, almost quenched upon deposition of 10 atomic layers. Further deposition of 100 atomic Ag layers results in a new increase of the SERS signal, consistent with the improved plasmonic efficiency of Ag bulk-like structures. The SERS response as a function of the Ag layer thickness is analyzed in terms of ab initio calculations and a microscopic model for the SERS chemical mechanism based on a resonant charge transfer process between the molecular HOMO state and the Fermi level in the metal surface. We find that a rearrangement of the electronic charge density related to the presence of the Ag monolayer in the Au/Ag/molecule complex causes an increase in the distance between the HOMO center of charge and the metallic image plane that is responsible for the variation of Raman enhancement between the studied substrates. Our results provide a general platform for studying the chemical contribution to SERS, and for enhancing the Raman efficiency of tailored Au-SERS templates through electrochemical modification with Ag films.

Nitrogen-doped graphene was recently synthesized and was reported to be a catalyst for hydrogen dissociative adsorption under a perpendicular applied electric field (F). In this work, the diffusion of H atoms on N-doped graphene, in the presence and absence of an applied perpendicular electric field, is studied using density functional theory. We demonstrate that the applied field can significantly facilitate the binding of hydrogen molecules on N-doped graphene through dissociative adsorption and diffusion on the surface. By removing the applied field the absorbed H atoms can be released efficiently. Our theoretical calculation indicates that N-doped graphene is a promising hydrogen storage material with reversible hydrogen adsorption/desorption where the applied electric field can act as a switch for the uptake/release processes.

The thermal stability of graphene/graphane nanoribbons (GGNRs) is investigated using density functional theory. It is found that the energy barriers for the diffusion of hydrogen atoms on the zigzag and armchair interfaces of GGNRs are 2.86 and 3.17 eV, respectively, while the diffusion barrier of an isolated H atom on pristine graphene was only ~0.3 eV.These results unambiguously demonstrate that the thermal stability of GGNRs can be enhanced significantly by increasing the hydrogen diffusion barriers through graphene/ graphane interface engineering. This may provide new insights for viable applications of GGNRs.

Zigzag graphene nanoribbons patterned on graphane are studied using spin-polarized ab initio calculations. We found that the electronic and magnetic properties of the graphene/graphane superlattice strongly depends on the degree of hydrogenation at the interfaces between the two materials. When both zigzag interfaces are fully hydrogenated, the superlattice behaves like a freestanding zigzag graphene nanoribbon, and the magnetic ground state is antiferromagnetic. When one of the interfaces is half hydrogenated, the magnetic ground state becomes ferromagnetic, and the system is very close to being a half metal with possible spintronics applications whereas the magnetic ground state of the superlattice with both interfaces half hydrogenated is again antiferromagnetic. In this last case, both edges of the graphane nanoribbon also contribute to the total magnetization of the system. All the spin-polarized ground states are semiconducting, independent of the degree of hydrogenation of the interfaces. The ab initio results are supplemented by a simple tight-binding analysis that captures the main qualitative features. Our ab initio results show that patterned hydrogenation of graphene is a promising way to obtain stable graphene nanoribbons with interesting technological applications.