Graphene has attracted an enormous amount of interest recently because of its unique electronic, optical, mechanical, and other properties. We report a promising method for producing single-layer graphene fully covering an entire substrate at low temperature. Single-layer graphene sheets have been synthesized on a whole 2 cm ×2 cm nickel (Ni) film deposited on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate by heating the Ni/HOPG in a vacuum. The carbon atoms forming our graphene are diffused from the graphite substrate through the nickel template. Our results demonstrate how to control the amount of carbon atoms for graphene formation to yield graphene films with a fine controlled thickness and crystal structure. Our method represents a significant step toward the scalable synthesis of high-quality graphene films with predefined thickness and toward realizing the unique properties of graphene films.

Phase manipulation between c(4x2) and p(2x2) on the Si(100) surface has been demonstrated at 4.2 K for the first time using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. We have discovered that it is possible to change the c(4x2) surface into the p(2x2) surface, artificially, through a flip-flop motion of the buckling dimers by using a sample bias voltage control. Also, scanning at a negative bias voltage or applying a pulse voltage can restore the c(4x2) surface. The STM images as a function of bias voltage and tunneling current reveal the interesting dynamics of the buckling dimers on the long debated surface. Our results will show that energetic tunneling electrons are most likely responsible for the observed phase transition from c(4x2) to p(2x2).

Anatase is a pivotal material in devices for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. Methods for the accurate characterization of this reducible oxide at the atomic scale are critical in the exploration of outstanding properties for technological developments. Here we combine atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), supported by first-principles calculations, for the simultaneous imaging and unambiguous identification of atomic species at the (101) anatase surface. We demonstrate that dynamic AFM-STM operation allows atomic resolution imaging within the material's band gap. Based on key distinguishing features extracted from calculations and experiments, we identify candidates for the most common surface defects. Our results pave the way for the understanding of surface processes, like adsorption of metal dopants and photoactive molecules, that are fundamental for the catalytic and photovoltaic applications of anatase, and demonstrate the potential of dynamic AFM-STM for the characterization of wide band gap materials.

The surface structural study of an icosahedral ͑i͒ quasicrystal of the Cd-Yb family is presented. Comparison of bias-dependent scanning tunneling microscopy data from the fivefold surface of i-Ag-In-Yb with the refined bulk model of isostructural i-Cd-Yb indicates that surfaces are formed at bulk planes intersecting the center of the rhombic triacontahedral clusters, the building blocks of the Cd-Yb family quasicrystals. These observations open up the possibility of the use of this material as a template for epitaxial structures.