Graphene-like nanoribbons periodically embedded with four- and eight-membered rings.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 28361958.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms14924 and PMC identifier 5381008.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Embedding non-hexagonal rings into sp<sup>2</sup>-hybridized carbon networks is considered a promising strategy to enrich the family of low-dimensional graphenic structures. However, non-hexagonal rings are energetically unstable compared to the hexagonal counterparts, making it challenging to embed non-hexagonal rings into carbon-based nanostructures in a controllable manner. Here, we report an on-surface synthesis of graphene-like nanoribbons with periodically embedded four- and eight-membered rings. The scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy study revealed that four- and eight-membered rings are formed between adjacent perylene backbones with a planar configuration. The non-hexagonal rings as a topological modification markedly change the electronic properties of the nanoribbons. The highest occupied and lowest unoccupied ribbon states are mainly distributed around the eight- and four-membered rings, respectively. The realization of graphene-like nanoribbons comprising non-hexagonal rings demonstrates a controllable route to fabricate non-hexagonal rings in nanoribbons and makes it possible to unveil their unique properties induced by non-hexagonal rings.