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Graphene's Latest Cousin: Plumbene Epitaxial Growth on a “Nano WaterCube”
Author(s) -
Yuhara Junji,
He Bangjie,
Matsunami Noriaki,
Nakatake Masashi,
Le Lay Guy
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201901017
Subject(s) - materials science , epitaxy , scanning tunneling microscope , alloy , nanotechnology , graphene , nano , crystallography , condensed matter physics , composite material , physics , chemistry , layer (electronics)
Abstract While theoretical studies predicted the stability and exotic properties of plumbene, the last group‐14 cousin of graphene, its realization has remained a challenging quest. Here, it is shown with compelling evidence that plumbene is epitaxially grown by segregation on a Pd 1− x Pb x (111) alloy surface. In scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), it exhibits a unique surface morphology resembling the famous Weaire–Phelan bubble structure of the Olympic “WaterCube” in Beijing. The “soap bubbles” of this “Nano WaterCube” are adjustable with their average sizes (in‐between 15 and 80 nm) related to the Pb concentration ( x < 0.2) dependence of the lattice parameter of the Pd 1− x Pb x (111) alloy surface. Angle‐resolved core‐level measurements demonstrate that a lead sheet overlays the Pd 1− x Pb x (111) alloy. Atomic‐scale STM images of this Pb sheet show a planar honeycomb structure with a unit cell ranging from 0.48 to 0.49 nm corresponding to that of the standalone 2D topological insulator plumbene.