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Tuning the van der Waals Interaction of Graphene with Molecules via Doping

Felix Huttmann, Antonio J. Martínez-Galera, Vasile Caciuc, Nicolae Atodiresei, Stefan Schumacher, Sebastian Standop, Ikutaro Hamada, Tim O. Wehling, Stefan Blügel, and Thomas Michely
Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 236101 – Published 1 December 2015
Physics logo See Synopsis: A van der Waals Tuning Knob
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Abstract

We use scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize and thermal desorption spectroscopy to quantitatively measure that the binding of naphthalene molecules to graphene, a case of pure van der Waals interaction, strengthens with n and weakens with p doping of graphene. Density-functional theory calculations that include the van der Waals interaction in a seamless, ab initio way accurately reproduce the observed trend in binding energies. Based on a model calculation, we propose that the van der Waals interaction is modified by changing the spatial extent of graphene’s π orbitals via doping.

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  • Received 7 September 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.236101

© 2015 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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A van der Waals Tuning Knob

Published 1 December 2015

By adding dopant atoms to a graphene sheet, researchers are able to control the van der Waals attraction that the surface exerts on molecules.

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Authors & Affiliations

Felix Huttmann1,*, Antonio J. Martínez-Galera1, Vasile Caciuc2, Nicolae Atodiresei2,†, Stefan Schumacher1, Sebastian Standop1, Ikutaro Hamada3, Tim O. Wehling4, Stefan Blügel2, and Thomas Michely1

  • 1II. Physikalisches Institut, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Straße 77, 50937 Köln, Germany
  • 2Peter Grünberg Institute and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
  • 3International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA) and Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN), National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
  • 4Bremen Center for Computational Material Science (BCCMS), Universität Bremen, Am Fallturm 1a, 28359 Bremen, Germany

  • *huttmann@ph2.uni-koeln.de
  • n.atodiresei@fz-juelich.de

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Issue

Vol. 115, Iss. 23 — 4 December 2015

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