Yu. S. Dedkov

A possible source of spin-polarized electrons: The inert graphene/Ni(111) system

We report on an investigation of spin-polarized secondary electron emission from the chemically inert system: graphene/Ni(111). An ordered passivation graphene layer (monolayer of graphite) was formed on Ni(111) surface via cracking of propylene gas. The spin polarization of secondary electrons obtained from this system upon photoemission is only slightly lower than the one from the clean Ni surface but does not change upon large oxygen exposure. These results suggest to use such passivated Ni(111) surface as a source of spin-polarized electrons stable against adsorption of reactive gases.

Synthesis of a weakly bonded graphite monolayer on Ni(111) by intercalation of silver

Silver has been successfully intercalated underneath a monolayer of graphite (MG) adsorbed on Ni(111) by deposition on the MG/Ni(111) surface at room temperature and subsequent annealing to 350-400 °C. The surface phonon dispersion of the MG/Ag/Ni(111) system has been measured in the direction of the Brillouin zone using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. The dispersion curves were found to be almost identical to those of bulk graphite, which is in contrast to the softened graphite-like phonon modes observed for the MG/Ni(111) system. This suggests that the stiffening of the phonon modes induced by silver intercalation is caused by a weaker interaction of the states of graphite with the substrate. These results demonstrate that a weakly bonded graphite monolayer, whose chemical properties are very similar to those of bulk graphite and which is stable up to 400 °C, can be synthesized in situ on Ni(111) after intercalation of silver.

Room-temperature observation of high-spin polarization of epitaxial CrO2(100) island films at the Fermi energy

Epitaxial CrO2(100) island films have been grown on TiO2(100) substrates by a chemical-vapor deposition technique. Well-controlled surface and interface properties of the CrO2(100) films were confirmed by scanning tunneling microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy at room temperature revealed an energy gap of about 2 eV below Fermi level EF for spin-down electrons and a spin polarization of about +95% at EF. After extended sputtering, the spin polarization can be recovered from about +10% up to +85% upon annealing.

Magnetic ordering of the Fe/Si interface and its initial formation

High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation and magnetic linear dichroism in Fe 3p core-level photoemission has been used to study both the initial stages of Fe/Si(111)7×7 and Fe/Si(100)2×1 interface formation and their ferromagnetic ordering. The correlation between the phase composition, electronic structure, and magnetic behavior of the interfaces has been established. It is shown that in-plane ferromagnetic ordering of the interfaces has a threshold nature and arises after the deposition of ∼7 A Fe in both systems. However, the remanent magnetization of Fe/Si(111) is greater than that of Fe/Si(100) due to the difference in the chemistry of the phases being formed. In the former case, it was found that at room temperature an ultrathin metastable FeSi film with the CsCl structure grows at the first stage of Fe deposition on Si. At higher Fe coverages, a Si solid solution in iron, and later an Fe film, is found to develop on FeSi. The magnetic properties of the solid solution an...

Understanding the origin of band gap formation in graphene on metals: graphene on Cu/Ir(111).

Understanding the nature of the interaction at the graphene/metal interfaces is the basis for graphene-based electron- and spin-transport devices. Here we investigate the hybridization between graphene- and metal-derived electronic states by studying the changes induced through intercalation of a pseudomorphic monolayer of Cu in between graphene and Ir(111), using scanning tunnelling microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory calculations. We observe the modifications in the band structure by the intercalation process and its concomitant changes in the charge distribution at the interface. Through a state-selective analysis of band hybridization, we are able to determine their contributions to the valence band of graphene giving rise to the gap opening. Our methodology reveals the mechanisms that are responsible for the modification of the electronic structure of graphene at the Dirac point, and permits to predict the electronic structure of other graphene-metal interfaces.

General approach to understanding the electronic structure of graphene on metals

This manuscript presents the general approach to the understanding of the connection between bonding mechanism and electronic structure of graphene on metals. To demonstrate its validity, two limiting cases of ‘weakly’ and ‘strongly’ bonded graphene on Al(111) and Ni(111) are considered, where the Dirac cone is preserved or fully destroyed, respectively. Furthermore, the electronic structure, i.e. doping level, hybridization effects, as well as a gap formation at the Dirac point of the intermediate system, graphene/Cu(111), is fully understood in the framework of the proposed approach. This work summarises the long-term debates regarding connection of the bonding strength and the valence band modification in the graphene/metal systems and paves a way for the effective control of the electronic states of graphene in the vicinity of the Fermi level.

Structural and electronic properties of epitaxial multilayer h -BN on Ni(111) for spintronics applications

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a promising material for implementation in spintronics due to a large band gap, low spin-orbit coupling, and a small lattice mismatch to graphene and to close-packed surfaces of fcc-Ni(111) and hcp-Co(0001). Epitaxial deposition of h-BN on ferromagnetic metals is aimed at small interface scattering of charge and spin carriers. We report on the controlled growth of h-BN/Ni(111) by means of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Structural and electronic properties of this system are investigated using cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron spectroscopies which confirm good agreement with the properties of bulk h-BN. The latter are also corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, revealing that the first h-BN layer at the interface to Ni is metallic. Our investigations demonstrate that MBE is a promising, versatile alternative to both the exfoliation approach and chemical vapour deposition of h-BN.

Understanding the growth mechanism of graphene on Ge/Si(001) surfaces

The practical difficulties to use graphene in microelectronics and optoelectronics is that the available methods to grow graphene are not easily integrated in the mainstream technologies. A growth method that could overcome at least some of these problems is chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of graphene directly on semiconducting (Si or Ge) substrates. Here we report on the comparison of the CVD and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of graphene on the technologically relevant Ge(001)/Si(001) substrate from ethene (C2H4) precursor and describe the physical properties of the films as well as we discuss the surface reaction and diffusion processes that may be responsible for the observed behavior. Using nano angle resolved photoemission (nanoARPES) complemented by transport studies and Raman spectroscopy, we report the direct observation of massless Dirac particles in monolayer graphene, providing a comprehensive mapping of their low-hole doped Dirac electron bands. The micrometric graphene flakes are oriented along two predominant directions rotated by 30◦ with respect to each other. The growth mode is attributed to the mechanism when small graphene “molecules” nucleate on the Ge(001) surface and it is found that hydrogen plays a significant role in this process.The practical difficulties to use graphene in microelectronics and optoelectronics is that the available methods to grow graphene are not easily integrated in the mainstream technologies. A growth method that could overcome at least some of these problems is chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of graphene directly on semiconducting (Si or Ge) substrates. Here we report on the comparison of the CVD and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of graphene on the technologically relevant Ge(001)/Si(001) substrate from ethene (C2H4) precursor and describe the physical properties of the films as well as we discuss the surface reaction and diffusion processes that may be responsible for the observed behavior. Using nano angle resolved photoemission (nanoARPES) complemented by transport studies and Raman spectroscopy as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we report the direct observation of massless Dirac particles in monolayer graphene, providing a comprehensive mapping of their low-hole doped Dirac electron bands. The micrometric graphene flakes are oriented along two predominant directions rotated by 30° with respect to each other. The growth mode is attributed to the mechanism when small graphene “molecules” nucleate on the Ge(001) surface and it is found that hydrogen plays a significant role in this process.

Defect induced ferromagnetism in Co-doped ZnO thin films

We present a study on the structural, magnetic, and optical properties, as well as the electronic structure of Co-doped ZnO films prepared by magnetron sputtering. Magnetization measurements performed at different temperatures indicate ferromagnetic and paramagnetic behavior for the samples prepared at oxygen-poor conditions whereas the samples prepared at oxygen-rich conditions show only paramagnetic behavior corroborating that the presence of oxygen-related defects is essential for ferromagnetism in Zn1-xCoxO. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Co L2,3 edge together with optical transmittance measurements show that Co ions are present in the high-spin Co2+ (d7) state under tetrahedral symmetry indicating a proper incorporation in the ZnO host lattice. Comparison of the O K edge XAS spectra of the samples prepared at different conditions show substantial changes in the spectral line shape which are attributed to the presence of lattice defects such as oxygen vacancies in the ferromagnetic oxygen-poor Co-doped ZnO samples. Our findings indicate that the ferromagnetic properties of Co-doped ZnO samples are strongly correlated with the presence of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO lattice supporting the spin-split impurity band model.

Spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of Fe3O4—revisited

Recently Tobin et al (2007 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 19 315218) reported on the spin-resolved photoemission study of Fe3O4(001) films, claiming magnetite being a case against half-metallicity. In the present communication we re-examine recent spin-resolved photoemission experiments on Fe3O4 and explain why their criticism is unfounded.