Showing papers by "Ryo Kitaura published in 2016"

Two-dimensional metallic NbS2: growth, optical identification and transport properties

Abstract: Progress on researches of two-dimensional (2D) metals strongly relies on development of the growth technique. Studies on preparation of 2D metals have so far been limited, and this is in stark contrast to the situation of 2D semiconductors, where various layered semiconductors, including MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, WSe2, have been isolated in its monolayer form. In this work, we have developed a facile method to prepare 2D metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, where direct growth of few-layered NbS2 (3R phase) on atomically flat hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been demonstrated. Structural characterization of the so-grown NbS2 was performed with atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy, revealing that the utilization of hBN as growth substrates is a key factor for the first successful CVD growth of 2D metallic TMDCs with large single-domain size (several μm). Electrical transport measurements have clearly shown that NbS2 atomic layers down to few-layer-thickness are metal. The current study opens up a new synthetic route for controllable growth of 2D layered metallic materials, which is of great importance in study of rich physics in 2D metals, as well as in search for novel 2D superconductors.

Simple fabrication of air-stable black phosphorus heterostructures with large-area hBN sheets grown by chemical vapor deposition method

Abstract: We have developed a facile and general method to passivate thin black phosphorus (BP) flakes with large-area high-quality monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) sheets grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. In spite of the one-atom-thick structure, the high-quality CVD-grown monolayer hBN has proven to be useful to prevent the degradation of thin BP flakes exfoliated on substrates. Mechanically exfoliated BP flakes prepared on a Si substrate are covered by the monolayer hBN sheet to preserve (otherwise unstable) atomic layered BP flakes from degradation. The present technique can generally be applied to fabricating BP-based electronic devices with much easiness.

Construction of Covalent Organic Nanotubes by Light-Induced Cross-Linking of Diacetylene-Based Helical Polymers.

Abstract: Organic nanotubes (ONTs) are tubular nanostructures composed of small molecules or macromolecules that have found various applications including ion sensor/channels, gas absorption, and photovoltaics. While most ONTs are constructed by self-assembly processes based on weak noncovalent interactions, this unique property gives rise to the inherent instability of their tubular structures. Herein, we report a simple “helix-to-tube” strategy to construct robust, covalent ONTs from easily accessible poly(m-phenylene diethynylene)s (poly-PDEs) possessing chiral amide side chains that can adopt a helical conformation through hydrogen-bonding interactions. The helically folded poly-PDEs subsequently undergo light-induced cross-linking at longitudinally aligned 1,3-butadiyne moieties across the whole helix to form covalent tubes (ONTs) both in solution and solid phases. The structures of poly-PDEs and covalent ONTs were characterized by spectroscopic analyses, diffraction analysis, and microscopic analyses. We envi...

Fabrication and In Situ Transmission Electron Microscope Characterization of Free-Standing Graphene Nanoribbon Devices

Abstract: Edge-dependent electronic properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have attracted intense interests. To fully understand the electronic properties of GNRs, the combination of precise structural characterization and electronic property measurement is essential. For this purpose, two experimental techniques using free-standing GNR devices have been developed, which leads to the simultaneous characterization of electronic properties and structures of GNRs. Free-standing graphene has been sculpted by a focused electron beam in transmission electron microscope (TEM) and then purified and narrowed by Joule heating down to several nanometer width. Structure-dependent electronic properties are observed in TEM, and significant increase in sheet resistance and semiconducting behavior become more salient as the width of GNR decreases. The narrowest GNR width we obtained with the present method is about 1.6 nm with a large transport gap of 400 meV.

Isolation and Structure Determination of a Missing Endohedral Fullerene La@C70 through In Situ Trifluoromethylation.

Abstract: D5h-symmetric fullerene C70 (D5h-C70) is one of the most abundant members of the fullerene family. One longstanding mystery in the field of fullerene chemistry is whether D5h-C70 is capable of accommodating a rare-earth metal atom to form an endohedral metallofullerene M@D5h-C70, which would be expected to show novel electronic properties. The molecular structure of La@C70 remains unresolved since its discovery three decades ago because of its extremely high instability under ambient conditions and insolubility in organic solvents. Herein, we report the single-crystal X-ray structure of La@C70(CF3)3, which was obtained through in situ exohedral functionalization by means of trifluoromethylation. The X-ray crystallographic study reveals that La@C70(CF3)3 is the first example of an endohedral rare-earth fullerene based on D5h-C70. The dramatically enhanced stability of La@C70(CF3)3 compared to La@C70 can be ascribed to trifluoromethylation-induced bandgap enlargement.

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of monolayer niobium diselenide flakes

Abstract: Monolayer niobium diselenide (NbSe2) is prepared through molecular beam epitaxy with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as substrates. Atomic force microscopy and the Raman spectroscopy have shown that the monolayer NbSe2 grown on the hBN possesses triangular or truncated triangular shape whose lateral size amounts up to several hundreds of nanometers. We have found that the precisely controlled supply rate and ultraflat surface of hBN plays an important role in the growth of the monolayer NbSe2.

Origin of residual particles on transferred graphene grown by CVD

Abstract: Large-area single-layer graphene can be grown on Cu foil by CVD, but for device applications, the layer must to be transferred onto an insulating substrate. As residual particles are often observed on transferred graphene, we investigated their origin using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). The results show that these residual particles are composed either of silicon or an alloy of a few metals, and hence, likely originate from the quartz tube of the CVD furnace and the impurities contained in the Cu foil.