Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations
Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations
The growth of three-dimensional ultra-fine spherical nano-particles of silver on few layers of graphene derived from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite in ultra-high vacuum were characterized using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in conjunction with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The energetics of the Ag clusters was determined by DFT simulations. The Ag clusters appeared spherical with size distribution averaging approximately 2 nm in diameter. STM revealed the preferred site for the position of the Ag atom in the C-benzene ring of graphene. Of the three sites, the C-C bridge, the C-hexagon hollow, and the direct top of the C atom, Ag prefers to stay on top of the C atom, contrary to expectation of the hexagon-close packing. Ab initio calculations confirm the lowest potential energy between Ag and the graphene structure to be at the exact site determined from STM imaging.
Reference:
Ndlovu, GF, Roos, WD, Wanf, ZM, Asante, JKO, Mashapa, MG, Jafta, C, Mwakikunga, BW and Hillie, KT. 2012. Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations. Nanoscale Research Letters, vol. 7:173, DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-7-173
Ndlovu, G., Roos, W., Wang, Z., Asante, J., Mashapa, M., Jafta, C., ... Hillie, K. (2012). Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5836
Ndlovu, GF, WD Roos, ZM Wang, JKO Asante, MG Mashapa, C Jafta, Bonex W Mwakikunga, and KT Hillie "Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations." (2012) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5836
Ndlovu G, Roos W, Wang Z, Asante J, Mashapa M, Jafta C, et al. Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations. 2012; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5836.
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