O. Yu. Vilkov

Initial stages of the growth and magnetic properties of cobalt films on the Si(100)2 × 1 surface

The initial stages of the growth of cobalt films on the Si(100)2 × 1 surface and the dynamics of variation in their phase composition, electronic structure, and magnetic properties with a coverage increasing in the range 1–20 Å resolution photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation and magnetic linear dichroism in Co 3p electron photoemission. It has been shown that a film of metallic cobalt starts to grow at a coverage of ∼7 Å. This process is preceded by the stages involving the formation of the interface cobalt silicide and the Co-Si solid solution. It has also been demonstrated that, at coverages below 15 Å, the sample surface is coated by segregated silicon. The ferromagnetic ordering of the film in the surface plane has been found to follow a threshold character and set in at a coverage of ∼6 Å. A further increase in the coverage in the range 8–16 Å is accompanied by a slower increase in the remanence of the film.

The role of the covalent interaction in the formation of the electronic structure of Au- and Cu-intercalated graphene on Ni(111)

A study is reported of the role played by covalent interaction in the coupling of graphene formed on Ni(111) to the Ni substrate and after intercalation of Au and Cu monolayers underneath the graphene. Covalent interaction of the graphene π states with d states of the underlying metal (Ni, Au, Cu) has been shown to bring about noticeable distortion of the dispersion relations of the graphene electronic π states in the region of crossing with d states, which can be described in terms of avoided-crossing effects and formation of bonding and antibonding d-π states. The overall graphene coupling to a substrate is mediated by the energy and occupation of the hybridized states involved. Because graphene formed directly on the Ni(111) surface has only bonding-type occupied states, the coupling to the substrate is very strong. Interaction with intercalated Au and Cu layers makes occupation of states of the antibonding and bonding types comparable, which translates into a weak resultant overall coupling of graphene to the substrate. As a result, after intercalation of Au atoms, the electronic structure becomes similar to that of quasi-free-standing graphene, with linear dispersion of π states at the K point of the Brillouin zone and the Dirac point localized close to the Fermi level. Intercalation of Cu atoms under the graphene monolayer results, besides generation of covalent interaction, in a slight charge transport, with a partial occupation of the previously unoccupied π* states and the Dirac point shifted by 0.35 eV toward increasing binding energy.

Synthesis and electronic structure of nitrogen-doped graphene

The crystalline and electronic structure of nitrogen-doped graphene (N-graphene) has been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Synthesis of N-graphene from triazine molecules on Ni(111) surface results in incorporation into graphene of nitrogen atoms primarily in the pyridinic configuration. It has been found that inclusions of nitrogen enhance significantly thermal stability of graphene on nickel. An analysis of the electronic structure of N-graphene intercalated by gold atoms has revealed that the pyridinic nitrogen culminates in weak p-type doping, in full agreement with theoretical predictions. Subsequent thermal treatment makes possible conversion of the major part of nitrogen atoms into the substitutional configuration, which involves n-type doping. It has been shown that the crystalline structure of the N graphene thus obtained reveals local distortions presumably caused by inhomogeneous distribution of impurities in the layer. The results obtained have demonstrated a promising application potential of this approach for development of electronic devices based on graphene with controllable type of conduction and carrier concentration.

Graphene hydrogenation by molecular hydrogen in the process of graphene oxide thermal reduction

Thermal reduction in molecular hydrogen of the graphene oxide films has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The restoration process was revealed to be accompanied by hydrogenation due to collisionally induced interaction of molecular hydrogen with carbon atoms. One side hydrogenated graphene films consisting of 20 μm one monolayer flakes were fabricated on SiO2/Si surface with hydrogen concentration as far as 40 at. %, at which the 0.3 eV bandgap opening was observed. It was shown that both H-coverage and bandgap width of the films can be controlled by varying the temperature of the heat treatment.

Formation and lithium doping of graphene on the surface of cobalt silicide

The intercalation of silicon under graphene on the Co(0001) surface, which is accompanied by the formation of a silicon solid solution in cobalt and by the formation of a surface crystalline Co2Si phase, has been investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been shown that the formation of cobalt silicide leads to a substantial weakening of the hybridization of electronic states of graphene and cobalt and to the recovery of the Dirac spectrum of electronic states of graphene near the Fermi level. This has made it possible to investigate the electron doping of graphene on the cobalt silicide substrate upon deposition of lithium on its surface. It has been found that doping with lithium leads to a significant charge transfer onto graphene, and the electron concentration reaches 3.1 × 1014 cm−2. Moreover, the specific form of the Fermi surface creates favorable conditions for the enhancement of the electron-phonon coupling. As a result, the formed system can be considered as a candidate for the creation of superconductivity in single-layer graphene.

Study of the crystal and electronic structure of graphene films grown on 6 H -SiC (0001)

The structural, chemical, and electronic properties of epitaxial graphene films grown by thermal decomposition of the Si-face of a semi-insulating 6H-SiC substrate in an argon environment are studied by Raman spectroscopy, atomic-force microscopy, the low-energy electron diffraction method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the carbon K edge. It is shown that the results of a systematic integrated study make it possible to optimize the growth parameters and develop a reliable technology for the growth of high-quality single-layer graphene films with a small fraction of bilayer graphene inclusions.

Interfacial interaction in a composite based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes and amorphous tin oxide

The specific features of changes in the electronic structure of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) due to the interaction with an amorphous tin oxide in the SnOx/MWCNT composite formed by magnetron sputtering have been investigated using X-ray spectroscopy. It has been shown that the formation of chemical bonds responsible for significant changes in the local and electronic structures of the outer layers of MWCNTs occurs at the boundaries of the “amorphous oxide/MWCNT” contacts. The vacuum annealing of the composite leads to the disturbance of the chemical interaction at interfaces of the composite and to a partial recovery of the local structure of the outer layers of MWCNTs. A decrease in the amount of oxygen in the tin oxide under vacuum annealing conditions causes an increase in the number of unpaired Sn 5s electrons, which, in turn, enhances the charge transfer through the interfaces in the composite and leads to a splitting of the π*-subsystem of the outer layers of MWCNTs.

Synchrotron studies of SnO2 wire-like crystals

Wire-like micro- and nanocrystals of SnO2 are obtained via gas-transport synthesis. The specifics of the atomic and electronic structure of an array of SnO2 wire-like crystals is revealed using near-edge X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectra. The method of photoemission electron microscopy with high-intensity synchrotron (undulator) radiation is used to study the morphology of SnO2 wire-like crystals for the first time.

Intercalation synthesis of cobalt silicide under a graphene layer

The silicon intercalation under single-layer graphene formed on the surface of an epitaxial Co(0001) film was investigated. The experiments were performed under conditions of ultra-high vacuum. The thickness of silicon films was varied within the range of up to 1 nm, and the temperature of their annealing was 500°C. The characterization of the samples was carried out in situ by the methods of low-energy electron diffraction, high-energy-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation, and magnetic linear dichroism in photoemission of Co 3p electrons. New data were obtained on the evolution of the atomic and electronic structure, as well as on the magnetic properties of the system with an increase in the amount of intercalated silicon. It was shown that the intercalation under a graphene layer is accompanied by the synthesis of surface silicide Co2Si and a solid solution of silicon in cobalt.

Electronic structure of graphene on Ni(111) and Ni(100) surfaces

A comparative investigation of graphene prepared by cracking of propylene (C3H6) on nickel surfaces with different orientations, Ni(111) and Ni(100), has been carried out using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. It has been shown that the graphene formed on the Ni(111) surface is well ordered on a large surface area, whereas the graphene on the Ni(100) surface has a well-defined domain structure. It has been found that the electronic structures of the two systems are similar to each other, and graphene is strongly bound to the nickel substrate. It has been demonstrated that the intercalation of a gold monolayer for the two systems leads to the formation of an electronic structure that is characteristic of quasi-free-standing graphene.