Role of the Pinning Points in epitaxial Graphene Moire Superstructures on the Pt(111) Surface.

ABSTRACT: The intrinsic atomic mechanisms responsible for electronic doping of epitaxial graphene Moirés on transition metal surfaces is still an open issue. To better understand this process we have carried out a first-principles full characterization of the most representative Moiré superstructures observed on the Gr/Pt(111) system and confronted the results with atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy experiments. We find that for all reported Moirés the system relaxes inducing a non-negligible atomic corrugation both, at the graphene and at the outermost platinum layer. Interestingly, a mirror "anti-Moiré" reconstruction appears at the substrate, giving rise to the appearance of pinning-points. We show that these points are responsible for the development of the superstructure, while charge from the Pt substrate is injected into the graphene, inducing a local n-doping, mostly localized at these specific pinning-point positions.

SUBMITTER: Martinez JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4745011 | biostudies-other | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other