Preferential Graphitic-Nitrogen Formation in Pyridine-Extended graphene Nanoribbons
Author:
Ruffieux Pascal1, Bassi Nicolo, Xiushang Xu2, Xiang Feifei, Krane NilsORCID, Pignedoli Carlo Antonio3ORCID, Narita Akimitsu, Fasel Roman4ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Empa 2. nanotech@surfaces Laboratory, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology 3. Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), nanotech@surfaces laboratory, CH-8600 Dübendorf 4. Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), nanotech@surfaces laboratory
Abstract
Abstract
Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), nanometer-wide strips of graphene, have garnered significant attention due to their tunable electronic and magnetic properties arising from quantum confinement. A promising approach to manipulate their electronic characteristics involves substituting carbon with heteroatoms, such as nitrogen, with different effects predicted depending on their position. In this study, we present the extension of the edges of 7-atom-wide armchair graphene nanoribbons (7-AGNRs) with pyridine rings, achieved on a Au(111) surface via on-surface synthesis. High-resolution structural characterization confirms the targeted structure, showcasing the predominant formation of carbon-nitrogen (C-N) bonds (over 90% of the units) during growth. This favored bond formation pathway is elucidated and confirmed through density functional theory (DFT) simulations. Furthermore, an analysis of the electronic properties reveals a reduction of the band gap of the GNR, accompanied by the presence of nitrogen-localized states. Our results underscore the successful formation of C-N bonds on the metal surface, providing insights for designing new GNRs that incorporate substitutional nitrogen atoms to precisely control their electronic properties.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
Reference59 articles.
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