Epitaxial Growth of a Silicene Sheet

TL;DR

This paper reports the successful epitaxial growth of a silicene sheet on Ag(111) surface, characterized by atomic resolution microscopy revealing a honeycomb structure with mixed hybridizations.

Contribution

First experimental demonstration of epitaxial silicene on Ag(111) using atomic resolution microscopy and direct silicon deposition.

Findings

Silicene forms a honeycomb lattice on Ag(111)

Silicene exhibits two silicon sub-lattices at different heights

Hybridization states suggest mixed sp2-sp3 bonding

Abstract

Using atomic resolved scanning tunneling microscopy, we present here the experimental evidence of a silicene sheet (graphene like structure) epitaxially grown on a close-packed silver surface (Ag(111)). This has been achieved via direct condensation of a silicon atomic flux onto the single-crystal substrate in ultra-high vacuum conditions. A highly ordered silicon structure, arranged within a honeycomb lattice is synthesized and presenting two silicon sub-lattices occupying positions at different heights (0.02 nm) indicating possible sp2-sp3 hybridizations.