Single-crystal graphene on Ir(110)

TL;DR

This study synthesizes and characterizes single-crystal graphene on Ir(110), revealing a wave pattern that influences electronic properties and enables templated molecular adsorption and uniaxial growth of organometallic wires.

Contribution

It provides detailed structural and electronic insights into graphene on Ir(110), demonstrating its potential as a versatile substrate for 2D material growth and molecular templating.

Findings

Graphene forms a nm-scale wave pattern on Ir(110).

The wave pattern modulates electronic properties of graphene.

Graphene on Ir(110) enables templated adsorption and uniaxial growth.

Abstract

A single-crystal sheet of graphene is synthesized on the low-symmetry substrate Ir(110) by thermal decomposition of C$_2$H$_4$ at 1500 K. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and ab initio density functional theory the structure and electronic properties of the adsorbed graphene sheet and its moir\'e with the substrate are uncovered. The adsorbed graphene layer forms a wave pattern of nm wave length with a corresponding modulation of its electronic properties. This wave pattern is demonstrated to enable the templated adsorption of aromatic molecules and the uniaxial growth of organometallic wires. Not limited to this, graphene on Ir(110) is also a versatile substrate for 2D-layer growth and makes it possible to grow epitaxial layers on ureconstructed Ir(110).