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Reversible Hydrogenation and Bandgap Opening of Graphene and Graphite Surfaces Probed by Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy

  1. Andres Castellanos-Gomez1,2,†,*,
  2. Magdalena Wojtaszek1,
  3. Arramel1,
  4. Nikolaos Tombros1,
  5. Bart J. van Wees1,*

Article first published online: 19 MAR 2012

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201101908

Issue

Small

Small

Volume 8, Issue 10, pages 1607–1613, May 21, 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Castellanos-Gomez, A., Wojtaszek, M., Arramel, Tombros, N. and van Wees, B. J. (2012), Reversible Hydrogenation and Bandgap Opening of Graphene and Graphite Surfaces Probed by Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy. Small, 8: 1607–1613. doi: 10.1002/smll.201101908

Author Information

  1. 1

    Physics of Nanodevices, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

  2. 2

    Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada (C–III), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain

  1. †

    Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands

*Physics of Nanodevices, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 MAY 2012
  2. Article first published online: 19 MAR 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 27 OCT 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 13 SEP 2011

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Keywords:

  • electronic structure;
  • graphene;
  • graphite;
  • hydrogenation;
  • scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract

The effects of hydrogenation on the topography and electronic properties of graphene and graphite surfaces are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The surfaces are chemically modified using an Ar/H2 plasma. By analyzing thousands of scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements it is determined that the hydrogen chemisorption on the surface of graphite/graphene opens on average an energy bandgap of 0.4 eV around the Fermi level. Although the plasma treatment modifies the surface topography in an irreversible way, the change in the electronic properties can be reversed by moderate thermal annealing and the samples can be hydrogenated again to yield a similar, but slightly reduced, semiconducting behavior after the second hydrogenation.

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