The electronic structure and dynamics of clean and adsorbate modified graphene

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). In this research project supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program, Professors Hrvoje Petek and Jin Zhao will study the electronic structure of graphene, a single atom thick, sheet-like allotrope of the element carbon. The study will focus on electronic states of graphene above the sp2 network that engender nearly free-electron (metallic) behavior. The experimental strategy is to perturb the majority carrier concentration in these states chemically or through optical excitation and measure the changes in electronic structure and dynamic processes such as electron-phonon and screening interactions. The experimental work will involve two interferometric time-resolved electron emission techniques, namely two photon photoemission (ITR-2PP) and photoelectron emission microscopy (ITR-PEEM) and transient electro-optic reflectivity (TEOR) measurements. Calculations of the graphene structure using Density Functional Theory (DFT) will also be done in parallel with the experiments.Graphene is an interesting material that may have important applications in future electronics and sustainable energy technologies. The research of Professors Petek and Zhao will provide important information on the structure and electronic properties of graphene that will be critical in establishing its applicability and performance in these technologies. The research will also provide a rich vehicle for graduate student training in both experiment and theory. The Petek and Zhao groups will also participate in outreach activities to promote an understanding of science and research in the Pittsburgh area public schools.