Mapping electronic states of dual-parallel and symmetric zigzag grain boundaries of graphene on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

TL;DR

This study investigates the electronic properties of specific periodic grain boundaries in graphene on HOPG, revealing localized states and intervalley scattering that could enhance electronic device performance.

Contribution

It provides detailed STM/S analysis of dual-parallel and symmetric zigzag grain boundaries, highlighting their impact on localized electronic states and potential device applications.

Findings

Localized states at 0.45 eV above Dirac point due to dual parallel GBs

Energy positions of localized states vary between 0.40 and 0.47 eV

Intervalley scattering observed at the studied GBs

Abstract

The grain boundaries (GBs) of a graphene surface were extensively studied because GBs with specific defect configurations result in the formation of new curved structures, which can be treated as new carbon allotropes. We studied the structures and electronic spectra of two periodic GBs in graphene on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S). Our results demonstrated that a GB consisting of dual parallel periodic dislocation cores of pentagonal-heptagonal (5-7) carbon rings gives rise to an enhanced localized state at 0.45 eV above the Dirac point in graphene surfaces, which is attributed to van Hove singularities (VHSs). Moreover, the energy positions of the localized states are varied between 0.40 and 0.47 eV depending on the site and eventually decayed to 0.36 eV. The variation of the energy positions is induced by two parallel GBs because of the higher electron density at the GB as a defect center and the lower electron away from the GB. Another periodic GB with a symmetric zigzag structural feature induced VHSs at -0.038 and 0.12 eV near the Fermi level. Moreover, intervalley scattering was observed on both these GBs. This means that carrier concentration and thus, the conductance around the periodic GBs can be significantly enhanced by localized density of states. This finding suggests that graphene with a properly embedded ordered GB is promising for improving the performance of graphene-based electronic devices.