posted on 2019-11-07, 22:30authored byFabian Düll, Eva Marie Freiberger, Philipp Bachmann, Johann Steinhauer, Christian Papp
We
report on the formation of nanoscopic heterostructures composed
of the semimetal graphene, the metal Pt, and the insulator hexagonal
boron nitride (h-BN). Both graphene and h-BN are chemically inert
two-dimensional materials with similar geometric but different electronic
properties. Between these materials, a Pt nanoparticle array was encapsulated.
Thereby, the h-BN/Rh(111) nanomesh served as a template for a well-ordered
array of Pt nanoclusters, which were overgrown with graphene, forming
single-crystal nanoheterostructures. We investigated this process
in situ by high-resolution, synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure. The nanographene
layers proved tight against CO under the tested conditions. These
nanoheterostructures could find possible application in optoelectronics
or as a data storage material. At the same time, our approach represents
a new route for the synthesis of nanographene.