Constructing molecular structures on periodic superstructure of graphene/Ru(0001)

Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2014 Mar 10;372(2013):20130015. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0015. Print 2014 Apr 13.

Abstract

We review the way to fabricate large-scale, high-quality and single crystalline graphene epitaxially grown on Ru(0001) substrate. A moiré pattern of the graphene/Ru(0001) is formed due to the lattice mismatch between graphene and Ru(0001). This superstructure gives rise to surface charge redistribution and could behave as an ordered quantum dot array, which results in a perfect template to guide the assembly of organic molecular structures. Molecules, for example iron phthalocyanine and C60, on this template show how the molecule-substrate interaction makes different superstructures. These results show the possibility of constructing ordered molecular structures on graphene/Ru(0001), which is helpful for practical applications in the future.

Keywords: Ru(0001); assembly; graphene; moiré pattern; organic molecules; preferential adsorption.