Competing dynamics of single phosphorus dopant in graphene with electron irradiation

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a phosphorus dopant atom in graphene behaves under electron irradiation, using STEM and first-principles calculations to understand and manipulate atomic-level changes for improved material design.

Contribution

It demonstrates the dynamics and manipulation of a phosphorus dopant in graphene under electron irradiation, combining experimental STEM observations with theoretical calculations.

Findings

Phosphorus dopant dynamics were observed and characterized.

Mechanisms of dopant manipulation were elucidated.

The study provides insights for atomic engineering of doped graphene.

Abstract

Atomic-level structural changes in materials are important but challenging to study. Here, we demonstrate the dynamics and the possibility of manipulating a phosphorus dopant atom in graphene using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The mechanisms of various processes are explored and compared with those of other dopant species by first-principles calculations. This work paves the way for designing a more precise and optimized protocol for atomic engineering.