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Direct Determination of the Chemical Bonding of Individual Impurities in Graphene

Wu Zhou, Myron D. Kapetanakis, Micah P. Prange, Sokrates T. Pantelides, Stephen J. Pennycook, and Juan-Carlos Idrobo
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 206803 – Published 15 November 2012
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Abstract

Using a combination of Z-contrast imaging and atomically resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy on a scanning transmission electron microscope, we show that the chemical bonding of individual impurity atoms can be deduced experimentally. We find that when a Si atom is bonded with four atoms at a double-vacancy site in graphene, Si 3d orbitals contribute significantly to the bonding, resulting in a planar sp2d-like hybridization, whereas threefold coordinated Si in graphene adopts the preferred sp3 hybridization. The conclusions are confirmed by first-principles calculations and demonstrate that chemical bonding of two-dimensional materials can now be explored at the single impurity level.

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  • Received 19 September 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.206803

© 2012 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Identification by Bonds

Published 15 November 2012

Electron microscopy reveals the bond configurations of individual silicon impurities adsorbed on graphene.

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Authors & Affiliations

Wu Zhou1,2,*, Myron D. Kapetanakis1,2, Micah P. Prange1,2,†, Sokrates T. Pantelides1,2, Stephen J. Pennycook2,1, and Juan-Carlos Idrobo2,*

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
  • 2Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA

  • *To whom all correspondence should be addressed. wu.zhou@vanderbilt.edu idrobojc@ornl.gov
  • Present address: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA.

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 20 — 16 November 2012

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