EELS study of the epitaxial graphene/Ni(111) and graphene/Au/Ni(111) systems

We have performed electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) studies of Ni(111), graphene/Ni(111), and the graphene/Au/Ni(111) intercalation-like system at different primary electron energies. A reduced parabolic dispersion of the it plasmon excitation for the graphene/Ni(111) system is observed compared to that for bulk pristine and intercalated graphite and to linear for free graphene, reflecting the strong changes in the electronic structure of graphene on Ni(111) relative to free-standing graphene. We have also found that intercalation of gold underneath a graphene layer on Ni(111) leads to the disappearance of the EELS spectral features which are characteristic of the graphene/Ni(111) interface. At the same time the shift of the pi plasmon to the lower loss-energies is observed, indicating the transition of initial system of strongly bonded graphene on Ni(111) to a quasi free-standing-like graphene state. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.