Termination of graphene edges created by hydrogen and deuterium plasmas

Edge engineering is important for both fundamental research and applications as the device size decreases to nanometer scale. This especially case graphene because a edge shows totally different electronic properties depending on atomic structure termination. It has recently been shown that an atomically precise zigzag can be obtained by etching graphite using hydrogen (H) plasma. However, termination had not studied directly. In this study, of edges created H-plasma high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy show sp2 bonded carbon atom terminated only one H atom. suggests ideal edge, which but also bonding, etching. Etching surface with plasma isotope, deuterium (D), scanning tunneling microscopy D-plasma anisotropically etches less efficiently, although it make defects more than H-plasma.