title: Strains induced by point defects in graphene on a metal.
abstract: Strains strongly affect the properties of low-dimensional materials, such as graphene. By combining in situ, in operando, reflection high-energy electron diffraction experiments with first-principles calculations, we show that large strains, above 2%, are present in graphene during its growth by chemical vapor deposition on Ir(111) and when it is subjected to oxygen etching and ion bombardment. Our results unravel the microscopic relationship between point defects and strains in epitaxial graphene and suggest new avenues for graphene nanostructuring and engineering its properties through introduction of defects and intercalation of atoms and molecules between graphene and its metal substrate.
authors.affiliation: Institut NÉEL, CNRS and Université Joseph Fourier, BP166, F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France and CEA-UJF, INAC, SP2M, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jean
authors.forename: Arkady V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Krasheninnikov
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coraux