Theanne Schiros

Visualizing Individual Nitrogen Dopants in Monolayer Graphene

Nitrogen atoms that replace carbon atoms in the graphene lattice strongly modify the local electronic structure. In monolayer graphene, substitutional doping during growth can be used to alter its electronic properties. We used scanning tunneling microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray spectroscopy, and first principles calculations to characterize individual nitrogen dopants in monolayer graphene grown on a copper substrate. Individual nitrogen atoms were incorporated as graphitic dopants, and a fraction of the extra electron on each nitrogen atom was delocalized into the graphene lattice. The electronic structure of nitrogen-doped graphene was strongly modified only within a few lattice spacings of the site of the nitrogen dopant. These findings show that chemical doping is a promising route to achieving high-quality graphene films with a large carrier concentration.

Connecting dopant bond type with electronic structure in n-doped graphene

Robust methods to tune the unique electronic properties of graphene by chemical modification are in great demand due to the potential of the two dimensional material to impact a range of device applications. Here we show that carbon and nitrogen core-level resonant X-ray spectroscopy is a sensitive probe of chemical bonding and electronic structure of chemical dopants introduced in single-sheet graphene films. In conjunction with density functional theory based calculations, we are able to obtain a detailed picture of bond types and electronic structure in graphene doped with nitrogen at the sub-percent level. We show that different N-bond types, including graphitic, pyridinic, and nitrilic, can exist in a single, dilutely N-doped graphene sheet. We show that these various bond types have profoundly different effects on the carrier concentration, indicating that control over the dopant bond type is a crucial requirement in advancing graphene electronics.

Local Atomic and Electronic Structure of Boron Chemical Doping in Monolayer Graphene

We use scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the atomic and electronic structure of boron-doped and nitrogen-doped graphene created by chemical vapor deposition on copper substrates. Microscopic measurements show that boron, like nitrogen, incorporates into the carbon lattice primarily in the graphitic form and contributes ~0.5 carriers into the graphene sheet per dopant. Density functional theory calculations indicate that boron dopants interact strongly with the underlying copper substrate while nitrogen dopants do not. The local bonding differences between graphitic boron and nitrogen dopants lead to large scale differences in dopant distribution. The distribution of dopants is observed to be completely random in the case of boron, while nitrogen displays strong sublattice clustering. Structurally, nitrogen-doped graphene is relatively defect-free while boron-doped graphene films show a large number of Stone-Wales defects. These defects create local electronic resonances and cause electronic scattering, but do not electronically dope the graphene film.

Orientation of luminescent excitons in layered nanomaterials

In nanomaterials, optical anisotropies reveal a fundamental relationship between structural and optical properties. Directional optical properties can be exploited to enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices, optomechanical actuators and metamaterials. In layered materials, optical anisotropies may result from in-plane and out-of-plane dipoles associated with intra- and interlayer excitations, respectively. Here, we resolve the orientation of luminescent excitons and isolate photoluminescence signatures arising from distinct intra- and interlayer optical transitions. Combining analytical calculations with energy- and momentum-resolved spectroscopy, we distinguish between in-plane and out-of-plane oriented excitons in materials with weak or strong interlayer coupling-MoS₂ and 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA), respectively. We demonstrate that photoluminescence from MoS₂ mono-, bi- and trilayers originates solely from in-plane excitons, whereas PTCDA supports distinct in-plane and out-of-plane exciton species with different spectra, dipole strengths and temporal dynamics. The insights provided by this work are important for understanding fundamental excitonic properties in nanomaterials and designing optical systems that efficiently excite and collect light from exciton species with different orientations.

Using self-organization to control morphology in molecular photovoltaics

This work explores the formation of well-defined molecular p-n junctions in solution-processed self-assembled heterojunction solar cells using dodecyloxy-substituted contorted hexabenzocoronene (12-c-HBC) as a donor material and phenyl-C(70)-butyric acid methyl ester (PC(70)BM) as an acceptor. We find that the contorted 12-c-HBC molecules effectively assemble in solution to form a nested structure with the ball-shaped PC(70)BM. The result is a self-assembled molecular-scale p-n junction. When this well-defined p-n junction is embedded in active films, we can make efficient self-assembled solar cells with minimal amounts of donor material relative to the acceptor. The power conversion efficiency is drastically enhanced by the mode of donor and acceptor assembly within the film.

Reticulated Heterojunctions for Photovoltaic Devices

An organic semiconductor device is formed by the self-assembly on a transparent electrode surface. The donor (see picture; dibenzotetrathienocoronene, yellow layer) deposits as supramolecular cables, and the acceptor (C60, orange) subsequently infiltrates this network. This network provides a donor–acceptor interface that is interwoven at the nanoscale. When incorporated into a solar cell, the active layer provides large increases in power conversion efficiencies.

Epitaxial growth of molecular crystals on van der Waals substrates for high-performance organic electronics

Epitaxial van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures of organic and layered materials are demonstrated to create high-performance organic electronic devices. High-quality rubrene films with large single-crystalline domains are grown on h-BN dielectric layers via vdW epitaxy. In addition, high carrier mobility comparable to free-standing single-crystal counterparts is achieved by forming interfacial electrical contacts with graphene electrodes.

Photovoltaic Universal Joints: Ball‐and‐Socket Interfaces in Molecular Photovoltaic Cells

A new approach toward higher efficiency organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) is described. Complementarity in shape between the donor (contorted hexabenzocoronene, see picture) and acceptor (buckminsterfullerene) molecules results in OPVs that perform surprisingly well. This exploitation of host-guest chemistry at the organic/organic interface demonstrates a new direction for OPV device design.

The role of substrate electrons in the wetting of a metal surface

We address how the electronic and geometric structures of metal surfaces determine water-metal bonding by affecting the balance between Pauli repulsion and electrostatic attraction. We show how the rigid d-electrons and the softer s-electrons utilize different mechanisms for the redistribution of charge that enables surface wetting. On open d-shell Pt(111), the ligand field of water alters the distribution of metal d-electrons to reduce the repulsion. The closed-shell Cu d(10) configuration of isostructural Cu(111), however, does not afford this mechanism, resulting in a hydrophobic surface and three-dimensional ice cluster formation. On the geometrically corrugated Cu(110) surface, however, charge depletion involving the mobile sp-electrons at atomic rows reduces the exchange repulsion sufficiently such that formation of a two-dimensional wetting layer is still favored in spite of the d(10) electronic configuration.

Surface Structure of Aerobically Oxidized Diamond Nanocrystals.

We investigate the aerobic oxidation of high-pressure, high-temperature nanodiamonds (5–50 nm dimensions) using a combination of carbon and oxygen K-edge X-ray absorption, wavelength-dependent X-ray photoelectron, and vibrational spectroscopies. Oxidation at 575 °C for 2 h eliminates graphitic carbon contamination (>98%) and produces nanocrystals with hydroxyl functionalized surfaces as well as a minor component (<5%) of carboxylic anhydrides. The low graphitic carbon content and the high crystallinity of HPHT are evident from Raman spectra acquired using visible wavelength excitation (λexcit = 633 nm) as well as carbon K-edge X-ray absorption spectra where the signature of a core–hole exciton is observed. Both spectroscopic features are similar to those of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond but differ significantly from the spectra of detonation nanodiamond. The importance of these findings to the functionalization of nanodiamond surfaces for biological labeling applications is discussed.