title: Nanobubbles at GPa Pressure under Graphene.
abstract: We provide direct evidence that irradiation of a graphene membrane on Ir with low-energy Ar ions induces formation of solid noble-gas nanobubbles. Their size can be controlled by thermal treatment, reaching tens of nanometers laterally and height of 1.5 nm upon annealing at 1080 °C. Ab initio calculations show that Ar nanobubbles are subject to pressures reaching tens of GPa, their formation being driven by minimization of the energy cost of film distortion and loss of adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trieste , Via Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.|Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-6) , Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamborlini
authors.affiliation: Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics , Strada Costiera 11, Trieste I-34151, Italy.
authors.forename: Mighfar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trieste , Via Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.|IOM-CNR Laboratorio TASC , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Laerte L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Patera
authors.affiliation: Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Tevfik Onur
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Menteş
authors.affiliation: Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics , Strada Costiera 11, Trieste I-34151, Italy.|IOM-CNR Democritos , Trieste I-34151, Italy.
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stojić
authors.affiliation: IOM-CNR Laboratorio TASC , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Africh
authors.affiliation: Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.affiliation: Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics , Strada Costiera 11, Trieste I-34151, Italy.|IOM-CNR Democritos , Trieste I-34151, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Binggeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trieste , Via Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.|IOM-CNR Laboratorio TASC , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comelli
authors.affiliation: Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste , S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locatelli
keywords: Graphene; argon; implantation; ion-irradiation; nanobubbles; ripening