Structure Analysis of Two-Dimensional Atomic Sheets by Total-Reflection High-Energy Positron Diffraction

Abstract

Recently, two-dimensional atomic sheets composed of group-IV elements, which are expected to possess intriguing properties in terms of electronic and spin-related phenomena, have been fabricated on various substrate surfaces. The atomic configurations of atomic sheets are varied depending on the bonding character of the elements and the interaction with substrates. In particular, the magnitude of buckling and the spacing between the atomic sheet and the substrate are crucial to elucidate the origin of its properties. In this review, we report the structure determinations of graphene, silicene, and germanene on the particular substrate surfaces by using total-reflection high-energy positron diffraction (TRHEPD) technique. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2018.111]