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Nano Research 2012, 5(5): 352-360 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-012-0215-4
Research Article | Issue | Published: 11 May 2012

An exchange intercalation mechanism for the formation of a two-dimensional Si structure underneath graphene

Show Author's Information Yi Cui1,  Junfeng Gao2,  Li Jin1,  Jijun Zhao2,  Dali Tan1,  Qiang Fu1( ),  Xinhe Bao1( )
State Key Laboratory of CatalysisDalian Institute of Chemical Physicsthe Chinese Academy of SciencesDalian116023China
Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by LaserIon and Electron Beams (Dalian University of Technology)Ministry of EducationDalian116024China
Keywords:
Graphene, silicon, intercalation, Ru(0001), photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), low energy electron microscopy (LEEM)
Cite this article:
Cui Y, Gao J, Jin L, et al. An exchange intercalation mechanism for the formation of a two-dimensional Si structure underneath graphene. Nano Research, 2012, 5(5): 352-360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-012-0215-4
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

A two-dimensional (2D) Si film can form between a graphene overlayer and a Ru(0001) substrate through an intercalation process. At the graphene/2D-Si/Ru(0001) surface, the topmost graphene layer is decoupled from the Ru substrate and becomes quasi-freestanding. The interfacial Si layers show high stability due to the protection from the graphene cover. Surface science measurements indicate that the surface Si atoms can penetrate through the graphene lattice, and density functional theory calculations suggest a Si-C exchange mechanism facilitates the penetration of Si at mild temperatures. The new mechanism may be involved for other elements on graphene, if they can bond strongly with carbon. This finding opens a new route to form 2D interfacial layers between graphene and substrates.


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About this article

An exchange intercalation mechanism for the formation of a two-dimensional Si structure underneath graphene

Show Author's information Yi Cui1, Junfeng Gao2, Li Jin1, Jijun Zhao2, Dali Tan1, Qiang Fu1( ), Xinhe Bao1( )
State Key Laboratory of CatalysisDalian Institute of Chemical Physicsthe Chinese Academy of SciencesDalian116023China
Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by LaserIon and Electron Beams (Dalian University of Technology)Ministry of EducationDalian116024China

Abstract

A two-dimensional (2D) Si film can form between a graphene overlayer and a Ru(0001) substrate through an intercalation process. At the graphene/2D-Si/Ru(0001) surface, the topmost graphene layer is decoupled from the Ru substrate and becomes quasi-freestanding. The interfacial Si layers show high stability due to the protection from the graphene cover. Surface science measurements indicate that the surface Si atoms can penetrate through the graphene lattice, and density functional theory calculations suggest a Si-C exchange mechanism facilitates the penetration of Si at mild temperatures. The new mechanism may be involved for other elements on graphene, if they can bond strongly with carbon. This finding opens a new route to form 2D interfacial layers between graphene and substrates.

Keywords: Graphene, silicon, intercalation, Ru(0001), photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), low energy electron microscopy (LEEM)

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 04 January 2012
Revised: 17 March 2012
Accepted: 26 March 2012
Published: 11 May 2012
Issue date: May 2012

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21073183, No. 20923001, and No. 21033009), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2011CB932700), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ("Bairen" program).

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