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We investigate the atomic structure and electronic properties of monolayers of copper phthalocyanines (CuPc) deposited on epitaxial graphene substrate. We focus in particular on hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F16CuPc), using both theoretical and experimental (scanning tunneling microscopy - STM) studies. For the individual CuPc and F16CuPc molecules, we calculated the electronic and optical properties using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT and found a red-shift in the absorption peaks of F16CuPc relative to those of CuPc. In F16CuPc, the electronic wavefunctions are more polarized toward the electronegative fluorine atoms and away from the Cu atom at the center of the molecule. When adsorbed on graphene, the molecules lie flat and form closely packed patterns: F16CuPc forms a hexagonal pattern with two well-ordered alternating α and β stripes while CuPc arranges into a square lattice. The competition between molecule-substrate and intermolecular van der Waals interactions plays a crucial role in establishing the molecular patterns leading to tunable electron transfer from graphene to the molecules. This transfer is controlled by the layer thickness of, or the applied voltage on, epitaxial graphene resulting in selective F16CuPc adsorption, as observed in STM experiments. In addition, phthalocyanine adsorption modifies the electronic structure of the underlying graphene substrate introducing intensity smoothing in the range of 2-3 eV below the Dirac point (ED) and a small peak in the density of states at ∼0.4 eV above ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have prepared Ca-intercalated multilayer epitaxial graphene films on silicon carbide and observed superconductivity in them with both magnetic and transport measurements. Superconducting transition has been detected at temperature up to 7 K in Ca-intercalated epitaxial graphene with the thickness down to 10 layers grown on both Si-face and C-face of silicon carbide. The result demonstrates intercalated epitaxial graphene as a good platform to study graphene-based superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically flat thin films of topological insulator Bi2Se3 have been grown on double-layer graphene formed on 6H-SiC(0001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. By a combined study of reflection high energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy, we identified the Se-rich condition and temperature criterion for layer-by-layer growth of epitaxial Bi2Se3 films. The as-grown films without doping exhibit a low defect density of 1.0±0.2×1011/cm2, and become a bulk insulator at a thickness of ten quintuple layers, as revealed by in situ angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically flat thin films of topological semimetal Na3 Bi are grown on double-layer graphene formed on 6H–SiC(0001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. By combined techniques of molecular beam epitaxy, scanning tunneling microscopy and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, the growth conditions for Na3 Bi thin films on double-layer graphene are successfully established. The band structure of Na3 Bi grown on graphene is mapped along Γ̄–M̄ and Γ̄–K̄ directions. Furthermore, the energy band of Na3 Bi at higher energy is uncovered by doping Cs atoms on the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]