Site-Specific Substitutional Boron Doping of Semiconducting Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Jul 22;137(28):8872-5. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b02523. Epub 2015 Jul 9.

Abstract

A fundamental requirement for the development of advanced electronic device architectures based on graphene nanoribbon (GNR) technology is the ability to modulate the band structure and charge carrier concentration by substituting specific carbon atoms in the hexagonal graphene lattice with p- or n-type dopant heteroatoms. Here we report the atomically precise introduction of group III dopant atoms into bottom-up fabricated semiconducting armchair GNRs (AGNRs). Trigonal-planar B atoms along the backbone of the GNR share an empty p-orbital with the extended π-band for dopant functionality. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) topography reveals a characteristic modulation of the local density of states along the backbone of the GNR that is superimposable with the expected position and concentration of dopant B atoms. First-principles calculations support the experimental findings and provide additional insight into the band structure of B-doped 7-AGNRs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure
  • Semiconductors*

Substances

  • Boron Compounds
  • Graphite