title: Tailoring low-dimensional structures of bismuth on monolayer epitaxial graphene.
abstract: To improve graphene-based multifunctional devices at nanoscale, a stepwise and controllable fabrication procedure must be elucidated. Here, a series of structural transition of bismuth (Bi) adatoms, adsorbed on monolayer epitaxial graphene (MEG), is explored at room temperature. Bi adatoms undergo a structural transition from one-dimensional (1D) linear structures to two-dimensional (2D) triangular islands and such 2D growth mode is affected by the corrugated substrate. Upon Bi deposition, a little charge transfer occurs and a characteristic peak can be observed in the tunneling spectrum, reflecting the distinctive electronic structure of the Bi adatoms. When annealed to ~500 K, 2D triangular Bi islands aggregate into Bi nanoclusters (NCs) of uniform size. A well-controlled fabrication method is thus demonstrated. The approaches adopted herein provide perspectives for fabricating and characterizing periodic networks on MEG and related systems, which are useful in realizing graphene-based electronic, energy, sensor and spintronic devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrophysics, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 Ta Hsueh Road, Hsinchu, 30050, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: B-Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M-F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan [2] Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Taiwan [3] Taiwan Consortium of Emergent Crystalline Materials, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J C A
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huang