Using density functional theory calculations with van der Waals corrections, we investigated how the interlayer orientation affects the structure and electronic properties of MoS2-graphene bilayer heterostructures. Changing the orientation of graphene with respect to MoS2 strongly influences the type and the value of the electronic bandgap in MoS2, while not significantly altering the binding energy between the layers or the interlayer spacing. We show that the physical origin of this tunable bandgap arises from variations in the S–S interplanar distance (MoS2 thickness) with the interlayer orientation, variations which are caused by electron transfer away from the Mo–S bonds.

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, in combination with density functional theory calculations, we investigated the morphology and electronic structure of monolayer graphene grown on the (111) and (110) facets of three-dimensional nickel islands on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite substrate. We observed graphene domains exhibiting hexagonal and striped moiré patterns with periodicities of 22 and 12 Å, respectively, on (111) and (110) facets of the Ni islands. Graphene domains are also observed to grow, as single crystals, across adjacent facets and over facet boundaries. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy data indicate that the graphene layers are metallic on both Ni(111) and Ni(110), in agreement with the calculations. We attribute this behavior to a strong hybridization between the d-bands on Ni and the π-bands of carbon. Our findings point to the possibility of preparing large-area epitaxial graphene layers even on polycrystalline Ni substrates.

Using in situ low-energy electron microscopy and density functional theory calculations, we follow the growth of monolayer graphene on Pd(111) via surface segregation of bulk-dissolved carbon. Upon lowering the substrate temperature, nucleation of graphene begins on graphene-free Pd surface and continues to occur during graphene growth. Measurements of graphene growth rates and Pd surface work functions establish that this continued nucleation is due to increasing C adatom concentration on the Pd surface with time. We attribute this anomalous phenomenon to a large barrier for attachment of C adatoms to graphene coupled with a strong binding of the non-graphitic C to the Pd surface.

Using in situ low-energy electron microscopy and density functional theory, we studied the growth structure and work function of bilayer graphene on Pd(111). Low-energy electron diffraction analysis established that the two graphene layers have multiple rotational orientations relative to each other and the substrate plane. We observed heterogeneous nucleation and simultaneous growth of multiple, faceted layers prior to the completion of second layer. We propose that the facetted shapes are due to the zigzag-terminated edges bounding graphene layers growing under the larger overlying layers. We also found that the work functions of bilayer graphene domains are higher than those of monolayer graphene, and depend sensitively on the orientations of both layers with respect to the substrate. Based on first-principles simulations, we attribute this behavior to oppositely oriented electrostatic dipoles at the graphene/Pd and graphene/graphene interfaces, whose strengths depend on the orientations of the two graphene layers.