Self-assembly of C60 monolayer on epitaxially grown, nanostructured graphene on Ru(0001) surface

Li, Geng; Zhou, Haitao; Liu, Pan; Zhang, Y.; Mao, Jinhai; Zou, Qiang; Guo, Haojie; Wang, Yeliang; Du, Shixuan; Gao, Hongjun

doi:10.1063/1.3673830

Cited by 44 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Recently, two studies of C 60 molecules on graphene on Ru(0001)120 and on SiC(0001)121 were conducted in order to examine the molecule‐surface interaction in graphene‐based, organic photovoltaics. In the case of C 60 on graphene/Ru(0001), the C 60 molecules pack in a commensurate manner to form a supramolecular structure with a perfect and continuous periodicity with few defects.…”

Section: Processing and Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Graphene at the Atomic‐Scale: Synthesis, Characterization, and Modification

Iski¹,

Yitamben²,

Gao

et al. 2013

Adv Funct Materials

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Graphene is nature's ideal two‐dimensional conductor and is comprised of a single sheet of hexagonally packed carbon atoms. Since the first electrical measurements made on graphene, researchers have been trying to exploit the unique properties of this material for a variety of applications that span numerous scientific and engineering disciplines. In order to fully realize the potential of graphene, large scale synthesis of high quality graphene and the ability to control the electronic properties of this material on a nanometer length‐scale are necessary and remain key challenges. This article will review the efforts at the Center for Nanoscale Materials that focus on the atomic‐scale characterization and modification of graphene via scanning tunneling microscopy and its synthesis on various materials (SiC, Cu(111), Cu foil, etc.). These fundamental studies explore growth dynamics, film quality, and the role of defects. The chemical modification of graphene following exposure to atomic hydrogen will also be covered, while additional emphasis will be made on graphene's unique structural properties.

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Section: Processing and Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Graphene at the Atomic‐Scale: Synthesis, Characterization, and Modification

Iski¹,

Yitamben²,

Gao

et al. 2013

Adv Funct Materials

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“…C 60 adsorbed on surfaces generally tend to form hexagonal close-packed arrangements 11 in order to optimize their lateral interactions. In very recent studies of C 60 molecules deposited on SLG epitaxially grown on metal, 12,13 it has been shown that the interaction between the molecules and the substrate, and consequently the molecular arrangement, is ruled by the moiré unit cell. The C 60 coming to the surface are trapped in potential wells of the moiré valleys where the substrate SLG is more reactive, thus forming pinning centers for the other molecules that arrange in between.…”

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confidence: 99%

van der Waals interactions mediating the cohesion of fullerenes on graphene

et al. 2012

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Fullerenes on single-layer epitaxial graphene are a model system to study very faint interactions at a molecular level. By a variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope we have been able to study ordered fullerene layers at 40 K, exclusively bound by van der Waals interactions. The experimentally determined adsorption geometry of the molecules is computationally confirmed only if van der Waals interactions are included in the calculation formalism. The relative orientation of fullerenes in their close-packed arrangement is found to be the crucial factor for determining the total energy. Observation of collective movements of fullerene islands points out the weak coupling to the substrate and the important role of the van der Waals cohesion forces within. Mechanical stability, friction, or adhesion are among the physical properties that strongly depend on van der Waals (vdW) interactions. This is also true for the nanoscale. The nucleation and growth of molecular surface structures involve dynamic processes such as diffusion, molecular rotations, or conformational changes, which rely also on vdW intermolecular interactions. 1,2 Moreover, self-assembly and adsorption studies focus on determining the preferred adsorption site and configuration, the adsorbate-adsorbate interaction, and the distance between the adsorbate and substrate (e.g., Ref. 3).There is an increasing interest in the role of vdW interactions of organic molecules on graphite and other surfaces. 4,5 Generally, long-distance forces as vdW are not described by the most widely used functionals of the density-functional theory (DFT). Thus, in many of the works performed until now they are simply not included. However, when planar systems of carbon-based materials are in question, they require a different approach to the interplay between intermolecular (lateral) and adsorbate-substrate (vertical) interactions in determining the properties of ordered molecular structures. To evidence the important role of the vdW interactions in adsorption processes we have chosen a system of a very weakly interacting substrate and adsorbate, single-layer graphene (SLG) 6 and fullerenes (C 60 ). 7 The fact that both materials consist exclusively of carbon atoms arranged in an atomically thin planar mesh without H or any other atoms inside the atomic structure that could lead to long-range H-bond interactions makes this system a good prototype for a demonstration of the effect of these forces at a molecular level.Thus, we consider the C 60 on SLG grown on 6H-SiC(0001) 8-10 as a model system to test the strength of the vdW forces and mutual interactions that occur between neutral inert nanostructures. C 60 adsorbed on surfaces generally tend to form hexagonal close-packed arrangements 11 in order to optimize their lateral interactions. In very recent studies of C 60 molecules deposited on SLG epitaxially grown on metal, 12,13 it has been shown that the interaction between the molecules and the substrate, and consequently the molecular arrangement, is ruled by the m...

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“…Organic molecules adsorbed on epitaxially grown graphene on metal substrates have also been investigated by STM to explore the possibility of graphene based organic devices [18][19][20][21]. According to the occurrence of intrinsic molecular electronic states on graphene for molecules such as perrylene, pentacene and fullerene [20], graphene appears to act as a buffer layer to reduce the interaction between molecules and metal substrates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%