Pinning of graphene to Ir(111) by flat Ir dots

Abstract

Compact flat Ir islands form and are stable at 400 K when $<0.1$ monolayer of Ir is evaporated onto a graphene flake preadsorbed on Ir(111). Local density approximation calculations account for the Ir islands’ two dimensionality and their preferred sites on the substrate. They show that local $s{p}^3$ bonding at once chemisorbs the dots above the graphene and firmly pins the graphene layer to the underlying metal.