title: Atomically controlled substitutional boron-doping of graphene nanoribbons.
abstract: Boron is a unique element in terms of electron deficiency and Lewis acidity. Incorporation of boron atoms into an aromatic carbon framework offers a wide variety of functionality. However, the intrinsic instability of organoboron compounds against moisture and oxygen has delayed the development. Here, we present boron-doped graphene nanoribbons (B-GNRs) of widths of N=7, 14 and 21 by on-surface chemical reactions with an employed organoboron precursor. The location of the boron dopant is well defined in the centre of the B-GNR, corresponding to 4.8 atom%, as programmed. The chemical reactivity of B-GNRs is probed by the adsorption of nitric oxide (NO), which is most effectively trapped by the boron sites, demonstrating the Lewis acid character. Structural properties and the chemical nature of the NO-reacted B-GNR are determined by a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy, high-resolution atomic force microscopy with a CO tip, and density functional and classical computations.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.|PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
authors: Shigeki
authors: S
authors: Kawai
authors: PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.|Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan.
authors: Shohei
authors: S
authors: Saito
authors: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan.
authors: Shinichiro
authors: S
authors: Osumi
authors: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan.|Institute of Transformative Bio-molecules, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan.|CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
authors: Shigehiro
authors: S
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: COMP, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, PO Box 11100, FI-00076 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Adam S
authors: AS
authors: Foster
authors: COMP, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, PO Box 11100, FI-00076 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Spijker
authors: Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Ernst
authors: E
authors: Meyer