Band gap opening and surface morphology of monolayer graphene induced by single ion impacts of argon monomer and dimer ions

Craters have been observed upon irradiation by single ion impacts of Ar monomer and Ar dimer ions with 35 keV/atom in monolayer graphene on copper at a fluence of 1 x 1012 atoms/cm2. The observed craters at the ion impacts are in the underlying copper substrate, which pull down the graphene layer conformally towards them, introducing disorder into graphene. The number density of craters per atom produced by Ar-monomers is higher than that of Ar-dimer ions. In the ion impact region, disorder is high, and graphene is metallic in both Ar-monomer and dimer irradiation. In the ion impact region of dimer irradiated graphene, local density of states is higher and there is a shift in Dirac point position by thorn 0.07 eV and a bandgap opening of 0.25 eV in the ordered region-15 nm away from the ion impact. Microscopic ripples in graphene are not observed in the case of monomer irradiation while they are present in the case of dimer irradiation with a reduced wavelength. Isotropic compressive strain is introduced by the ion impacts and it is larger for Ar-dimer irradiation. The combined effects of compressive strain along with breaking the equivalence between A and B sublattice of graphene is attributed to the opening of the band gap in graphene. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The impact of single and dimer Ar ions on monolayer graphene on copper substrate leads to crater formation, disorder, and partial metallic behavior in graphene. Dimer irradiation results in higher local density of states and opening of a bandgap in graphene compared to monomer irradiation.