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Piquero-Zulaica I, Corral-Rascón E, Diaz de Cerio X, Riss A, Yang B, Garcia-Lekue A, Kher-Elden MA, Abd El-Fattah ZM, Nobusue S, Kojima T, Seufert K, Sakaguchi H, Auwärter W, Barth JV. Deceptive orbital confinement at edges and pores of carbon-based 1D and 2D nanoarchitectures. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1062. [PMID: 38316774 PMCID: PMC10844643 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45138-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The electronic structure defines the properties of graphene-based nanomaterials. Scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) experiments on graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), nanographenes, and nanoporous graphene (NPG) often determine an apparent electronic orbital confinement into the edges and nanopores, leading to dubious interpretations such as image potential states or super-atom molecular orbitals. We show that these measurements are subject to a wave function decay into the vacuum that masks the undisturbed electronic orbital shape. We use Au(111)-supported semiconducting gulf-type GNRs and NPGs as model systems fostering frontier orbitals that appear confined along the edges and nanopores in STS measurements. DFT calculations confirm that these states originate from valence and conduction bands. The deceptive electronic orbital confinement observed is caused by a loss of Fourier components, corresponding to states of high momentum. This effect can be generalized to other 1D and 2D carbon-based nanoarchitectures and is important for their use in catalysis and sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Piquero-Zulaica
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany.
| | - Eduardo Corral-Rascón
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Xabier Diaz de Cerio
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, E-20018, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Alexander Riss
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany.
| | - Biao Yang
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Aran Garcia-Lekue
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, E-20018, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Mohammad A Kher-Elden
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, E-11884, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Zakaria M Abd El-Fattah
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, E-11884, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Shunpei Nobusue
- Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kojima
- Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Knud Seufert
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Hiroshi Sakaguchi
- Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Willi Auwärter
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Johannes V Barth
- Physics Department E20, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748, Garching, Germany
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Deyerling J, Piquero-Zulaica I, Ashoush MA, Seufert K, Kher-Elden MA, Abd El-Fattah ZM, Auwärter W. Formation of an Extended Quantum Dot Array Driven and Autoprotected by an Atom-Thick h-BN Layer. ACS Nano 2023; 17:5448-5458. [PMID: 36884023 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c10366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Engineering quantum phenomena of two-dimensional nearly free electron states has been at the forefront of nanoscience studies ever since the first creation of a quantum corral. Common strategies to fabricate confining nanoarchitectures rely on manipulation or on applying supramolecular chemistry principles. The resulting nanostructures do not protect the engineered electronic states against external influences, hampering the potential for future applications. These restrictions could be overcome by passivating the nanostructures with a chemically inert layer. To this end we report a scalable segregation-based growth approach forming extended quasi-hexagonal nanoporous CuS networks on Cu(111) whose assembly is driven by an autoprotecting h-BN overlayer. We further demonstrate that by this architecture both the Cu(111) surface state and image potential states of the h-BN/CuS heterostructure are confined within the nanopores, effectively forming an extended array of quantum dots. Semiempirical electron-plane-wave-expansion simulations shed light on the scattering potential landscape responsible for the modulation of the electronic properties. The protective properties of the h-BN capping are tested under various conditions, representing an important step toward the realization of robust surface state based electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Deyerling
- Physics Department E20, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Ignacio Piquero-Zulaica
- Physics Department E20, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Mustafa A Ashoush
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo E-11884, Egypt
| | - Knud Seufert
- Physics Department E20, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Mohammad A Kher-Elden
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo E-11884, Egypt
| | - Zakaria M Abd El-Fattah
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo E-11884, Egypt
| | - Willi Auwärter
- Physics Department E20, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
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Hu W, Kher-Elden MA, Zhang H, Cheng P, Chen L, Piquero-Zulaica I, Abd El-Fattah ZM, Barth JV, Wu K, Zhang YQ. Engineering novel surface electronic states via complex supramolecular tessellations. Nanoscale 2022; 14:7039-7048. [PMID: 35471409 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr00536k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tailoring Shockley surface-state (SS) electrons utilizing complex interfacial supramolecular tessellations was explored by low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy, combined with computational modelling using electron plane wave expansion (EPWE) and empirical tight-binding (TB) methods. Employing a recently introduced gas-mediated on-surface reaction protocol, three distinct types of open porous networks comprising paired organometallic species as basic tectons were selectively synthesized. In particular, these supramolecular networks feature semiregular Archimedean tilings, providing intricate quantum dots (QDs) coupling scenarios compared to hexagonal porous superlattices. Our experimental results in conjunction with modelling calculations demonstrate the possibility of realizing novel two-dimensional electronic structures such as Kagome- and Dirac-type as well as hybrid Kagome-type bands via QD coupling. Compared to constructing SS electron pathways via molecular manipulations, our studies reveal significant potential of exploiting QD coupling as a complementary and versatile route for the control of surface electronic landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Hu
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mohammad A Kher-Elden
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City E-11884 Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Hexu Zhang
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lan Chen
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | | | - Zakaria M Abd El-Fattah
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City E-11884 Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Johannes V Barth
- Physics Department E20, Technical University of Munich, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Kehui Wu
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Yi-Qi Zhang
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
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Kawai S, Kher-Elden MA, Sadeghi A, Abd El-Fattah ZM, Sun K, Izumi S, Minakata S, Takeda Y, Lobo-Checa J. Near Fermi Superatom State Stabilized by Surface State Resonances in a Multiporous Molecular Network. Nano Lett 2021; 21:6456-6462. [PMID: 34038137 PMCID: PMC8488955 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c01200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional honeycomb molecular networks confine a substrate's surface electrons within their pores, providing an ideal playground to investigate the quantum electron scattering phenomena. Besides surface state confinement, laterally protruding organic states can collectively hybridize at the smallest pores into superatom molecular orbitals. Although both types of pore states could be simultaneously hosted within nanocavities, their coexistence and possible interaction are unexplored. Here, we show that these two types of pore states do coexist within the smallest nanocavities of a two-dimensional halogen-bonding multiporous network grown on Ag(111) studied using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and electron plane wave expansion simulations. We find that superatom molecular orbitals undergo an important stabilization when hybridizing with the confined surface state, following the significant lowering of its free-standing energy. These findings provide further control over the surface electronic structure exerted by two-dimensional nanoporous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeki Kawai
- Research
Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
- Graduate
School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University
of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan
| | - Mohammad A. Kher-Elden
- Physics
Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar
University, Nasr City, E-11884 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ali Sadeghi
- Department
of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, 1983969411 Tehran, Iran
- School
of Nano Science, Institute for Research
in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), 19395-5531 Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Kewei Sun
- Research
Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
| | - Saika Izumi
- Department
of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 2-1,
Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Satoshi Minakata
- Department
of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 2-1,
Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Youhei Takeda
- Department
of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 2-1,
Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Jorge Lobo-Checa
- Instituto
de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, E-50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Departamento
de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, E-50009 Zaragoza, Spain
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