Browsing by Author "Topsakal, M."
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Item Open Access Armchair nanoribbons of silicon and germanium honeycomb structures(American Physical Society, 2010) Cahangirov, S.; Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimWe present a first-principles study of bare and hydrogen passivated armchair nanoribbons of the puckered single layer honeycomb structures of silicon and germanium. Our study includes optimization of atomic structure, stability analysis based on the calculation of phonon dispersions, electronic structure, and the variation in band gap with the width of the ribbon. The band gaps of silicon and germanium nanoribbons exhibit family behavior similar to those of graphene nanoribbons. The edges of bare nanoribbons are sharply reconstructed, which can be eliminated by the hydrogen termination of dangling bonds at the edges. Periodic modulation of the nanoribbon width results in a superlattice structure which can act as a multiple quantum well. Specific electronic states are confined in these wells. Confinement trends are qualitatively explained by including the effects of the interface. In order to investigate wide and long superlattice structures we also performed empirical tight-binding calculations with parameters determined from ab initio calculations.Item Open Access A comparative study of lattice dynamics of three-and two-dimensional MoS2(American Chemical Society, 2011) Ataca, C.; Topsakal, M.; Aktürk, E.; Çıracı, SalimThis paper presents a comparative study of the lattice dynamics of three-dimensional layered MoS2 and two-dimensional single layer MoS2 based on the density functional theory. A comprehensive analysis of energetics and optimized structure parameters is performed using different methods. It is found that the van der Waals attraction between layers of three-dimensional (3D) layered MoS2 is weak but is essential to hold the layers together with the equilibrium interlayer spacing. Cohesive energy, phonon dispersion curves, and corresponding density of states and related properties, such as Born-effective charges, dielectric constants, Raman and infrared active modes are calculated for 3D layered as well as 2D single layer MoS2 using their optimized structures. These calculated values are compared with the experimental data to reveal interesting dimensionality effects. The absence of a weak interlayer interaction in 2D single layer MoS2 results in the softening of some of Raman active modes. © 2011 American Chemical Society.Item Open Access Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of armchair graphene nanoribbons under uniaxial strain(American Physical Society, 2010) Topsakal, M.; Bagci, V.M.K.; Çıracı, SalimThe current-voltage characteristics of armchair graphene nanoribbons under a local uniaxial tension are investigated by using first-principles quantum transport calculations. It is shown that for a given value of bias voltage, the resulting current depends strongly on the applied tension. The observed trends are explained by means of changes in the band gaps of the nanoribbons due to the applied uniaxial tension. In the course of plastic deformation, the irreversible structural changes and derivation of carbon monatomic chains from graphene pieces can be monitored by two-probe transport measurements.Item Open Access Domain formation on oxidized graphene(American Physical Society, 2012-11-01) Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimAbstract Using first-principles calculations within density functional theory, we demonstrate that the adsorption of a single oxygen atom results in significant electron transfer from graphene to oxygen. This strongly disturbs the charge landscape of the C-C bonds at the proximity. Additional oxygen atoms adsorbing to graphene prefer always the C-C bonds having the highest charge density and, consequently, they have the tendency to form domain structure. While oxygen adsorption to one side of graphene ends with significant buckling, the adsorption to both sides with similar domain pattern is favored. The binding energy displays an oscillatory variation and the band gap widens with increasing oxygen coverage. While a single oxygen atom migrates over the C-C bonds on the graphene surface, a repulsive interaction prevents two oxygen adatoms from forming an oxygen molecule. Our first-principles study together with finite-temperature ab initio molecular dynamics calculations conclude that oxygen adatoms on graphene can not desorb easily without the influence of external agents.Item Open Access Effects of charging and electric field on graphene oxide(American Chemical Society, 2013) Topsakal, M.; Gürel, H. H.; Çıracı, SalimWe present a first-principles study of various effects of charging and electric field on the oxidation/deoxidation of graphene oxide consisting of only epoxy groups. We first determined the proper basis set, which hinders the spurious spilling of electrons of graphene oxide when negatively charged or exerted by perpendicular electric field, and treated with periodic boundary conditions. We then showed that the electric field perpendicularly applied to graphene surface provide side-specific functionalization. We found that the bonds between oxygen and graphene are weakened under applied electric field. For specific values of excess charge or electric field, an oxygen atom that is normally adsorbed to the bridge site in equilibrium moves to the top site. By directly charging and/or by applying electric field, one can monitor this migration as well as desorption of the oxygen adatom. In spite of the negative formation energy, an energy barrier prevents individually adsorbed oxygen atoms from forming oxygen molecules. This energy barrier is dramatically weakened upon negative charging or exertion of an electric field. Our results explain why the reduction of graphene oxide can be facilitated by these external effects. © 2013 American Chemical Society.Item Open Access Effects of static charging and exfoliation of layered crystals(American Physical Society, 2012) Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimUsing a first-principle plane-wave method we investigate the effects of static charging on the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of suspended, single-layer graphene, graphane, fluorographene, BN, and MoS 2 in a honeycomb structure. The limitations of periodic boundary conditions in the treatment of negatively charged layers are clarified. Upon positive charging, the band gaps between the conduction and valence bands increase, but the single-layer nanostructures become metallic owing to the Fermi level dipping below the maximum of valence band. Moreover, their bond lengths increase, leading to phonon softening. As a result, the frequencies of Raman active modes are lowered. A high level of positive charging leads to structural instabilities in single-layer nanostructures, since their specific phonon modes attain imaginary frequencies. Similarly, excess positive charge is accumulated at the outermost layers of metallized BN and MoS 2 sheets comprising a few layers. Once the charging exceeds a threshold value, the outermost layers are exfoliated. Charge relocation and repulsive force generation are in compliance with classical theories. © 2012 American Physical Society.Item Open Access Elastic and plastic deformation of graphene, silicene, and boron nitride honeycomb nanoribbons under uniaxial tension: A first-principles density-functional theory study(American Physical Society, 2010) Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimThis study of elastic and plastic deformation of graphene, silicene, and boron nitride BN honeycomb nanoribbons under uniaxial tension determines their elastic constants and reveals interesting features. In the course of stretching in the elastic range, the electronic and magnetic properties can be strongly modified. In particular, it is shown that the band gap of a specific armchair nanoribbon is closed under strain and highest valance and lowest conduction bands are linearized. This way, the massless Dirac fermion behavior can be attained even in a semiconducting nanoribbon. Under plastic deformation, the honeycomb structure changes irreversibly and offers a number of new structures and functionalities. Cagelike structures, even suspended atomic chains can be derived between two honeycomb flakes. Present work elaborates on the recent experiments C. Jin, H. Lan, L. Peng, K. Suenaga, and S. Iijima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 205501 2009 deriving carbon chains from graphene. Furthermore, the similar formations of atomic chains from BN and Si nanoribbons are predicted.Item Open Access Electronic and magnetic properties of 3d transition-metal atom adsorbed graphene and graphene nanoribbons(American Physical Society, 2008) Sevinçli, H.; Topsakal, M.; Durgun, Engin; Çıracı, SalimIn this paper, we theoretically studied the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene and graphene nanoribbons functionalized by 3d transition-metal (TM) atoms. The binding energies and electronic and magnetic properties were investigated for the cases where TM atoms adsorbed to a single side and double sides of graphene. We found that 3d TM atoms can be adsorbed on graphene with binding energies ranging between 0.10 and 1.95 eV depending on their species and coverage density. Upon TM atom adsorption, graphene becomes a magnetic metal. TM atoms can also be adsorbed on graphene nanoribbons with armchair edge shapes (AGNR's). Binding of TM atoms to the edge hexagons of AGNR yields the minimum energy state for all TM atom species examined in this work and in all ribbon widths under consideration. Depending on the ribbon width and adsorbed TM atom species, AGNR, which is a nonmagnetic semiconductor, can either be a metal or a semiconductor with ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic spin alignment. Interestingly, Fe or Ti adsorption makes certain AGNR's half-metallic with a 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level. Present results indicate that the properties of graphene and graphene nanoribbons can be strongly modified through the adsorption of 3d TM atoms.Item Open Access First-principles approach to monitoring the band gap and magnetic state of a graphene nanoribbon via its vacancies(American Physical Society, 2008) Topsakal, M.; Aktürk, E.; Sevinçli, H.; Çıracı, SalimUsing first-principles plane-wave calculations we predict that electronic and magnetic properties of graphene nanoribbons can be modified by the defect-induced itinerant states. Structure optimization gives rise to significant reconstruction of atomic structure, which is in good agreement with transmission electron microscope images. The band gaps of armchair nanoribbons can be modified by hydrogen-saturated holes. The band-gap changes depend on the width of the ribbon as well as on the position of the hole relative to the edges of the ribbon. Defects due to periodically repeating vacancy or divacancies induce metallization as well as magnetization in nonmagnetic semiconducting nanoribbons due to the spin polarization of local defect states. Antiferromagnetic ground state of semiconducting zigzag ribbons can change to ferrimagnetic state upon creation of vacancy defects, which reconstruct and interact with edge states. Even more remarkable is that all these effects of vacancy defects are found to depend on their geometry and position relative to the edges. It is shown that these effects can, in fact, be realized without really creating defects.Item Open Access First-principles study of defects and adatoms in silicon carbide honeycomb structures(The American Physical Society, 2010) Bekaroglu, E.; Topsakal, M.; Cahangirov, S.; Çıracı, SalimWe present a study of mechanical, electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional (2D), monolayer of silicon carbide (SiC) in honeycomb structure and its quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) armchair nanoribbons using first-principles plane-wave method. In order to reveal dimensionality effects, a brief study of three-dimensional (3D) bulk and 1D atomic chain of SiC are also included. Calculated bond-lengths, cohesive energies, charge transfers and band gaps display a clear dimensionality effect. The stability analysis based on the calculation of phonon frequencies indicates that 2D SiC monolayer is stable in planar geometry. We found that 2D SiC monolayer in honeycomb structure and its bare and hydrogen passivated nanoribbons are ionic, nonmagnetic, wide band gap semiconductors. The band gap is further increased upon self-energy corrections. The mechanical properties are investigated using the strain energy calculations. The effect of various vacancy defects, adatoms, and substitutional impurities on electronic and magnetic properties in 2D SiC monolayer and in its armchair nanoribbons is also investigated. Some of these vacancy defects and impurities, which are found to influence physical properties and attain magnetic moments, can be used to functionalize SiC honeycomb structures. © 2010 The American Physical Society.Item Open Access First-principles study of two-and one-dimensional honeycomb structures of boron nitride(American Physical Society, 2009) Topsakal, M.; Aktürk, E.; Çıracı, SalimThis paper presents a systematic study of two- and one-dimensional honeycomb structures of boron nitride BN using first-principles plane-wave method. In order to reveal dimensionality effects, a brief study of all allotropic forms of three-dimensional 3D BN crystals and truly one-dimensional atomic BN chains are also included. Two-dimensional 2D graphenelike BN is a wide band-gap semiconductor with ionic bonding through significant charge transfer from B to N. Phonon-dispersion curves demonstrate the stability of 2D BN flakes. Quasi-one-dimensional 1D armchair BN nanoribbons are nonmagnetic semiconductors with edge states. Upon passivation of B and N with hydrogen atoms these edge states disappear and the band gap increases. Bare zigzag BN nanoribbons are metallic but become a ferromagnetic semiconductor when both their edges are passivated with hydrogen. However, their magnetic ground state, electronic band structure, and band gap are found to be strongly dependent on whether B or N edge of the ribbon is saturated with hydrogen. Vacancy defects in armchair and zigzag nanoribbons affect also the magnetic state and electronic structure. Harmonic, anharmonic, and plastic regions are deduced in the variation in the total energy of armchair and zigzag nanoribbons as a function of strain. The calculated force constants display a Hookian behavior. In the plastic region the nanoribbon is stretched, whereby the honeycomb structure of hexagons change into different polygons through sequential structural transformations. In order to reveal dimensionality effects these properties are contrasted with those of various 3D BN crystals and 1D BN atomic chain.Item Open Access First-principles study of zinc oxide honeycomb structures(American Physical Society, 2009) Topsakal, M.; Cahangirov, S.; Bekaroglu, E.; Çıracı, SalimWe present a first-principles study of the atomic, electronic, and magnetic properties of two-dimensional 2D, single and bilayer ZnO in honeycomb structure and its armchair and zigzag nanoribbons. In order to reveal the dimensionality effects, our study includes also bulk ZnO in wurtzite, zincblende, and hexagonal structures. The stability of 2D ZnO, its nanoribbons and flakes are analyzed by phonon frequency, as well as by finite temperature ab initio molecular-dynamics calculations. 2D ZnO in honeycomb structure and its armchair nanoribbons are nonmagnetic semiconductors but acquire net magnetic moment upon the creation of zinc-vacancy defect. Zigzag ZnO nanoribbons are ferromagnetic metals with spins localized at the oxygen atoms at the edges and have high spin polarization at the Fermi level. However, they change to nonmagnetic metal upon termination of their edges with hydrogen atoms. From the phonon calculations, the fourth acoustical mode specified as twisting mode is also revealed for armchair nanoribbon. Under tensile stress the nanoribbons are deformed elastically maintaining honeycomblike structure but yield at high strains. Beyond yielding point honeycomblike structure undergo a structural change and deform plastically by forming large polygons. The variation in the electronic and magnetic properties of these nanoribbons have been examined under strain. It appears that plastically deformed nanoribbons may offer a new class of materials with diverse properties.Item Open Access Frictional figures of merit for single layered nanostructures(American Physical Society, 2012) Cahangirov, S.; Ataca, C.; Topsakal, M.; Sahin, H.; Çıracı, SalimWe determine the frictional figures of merit for a pair of layered honeycomb nanostructures, such as graphane, fluorographene, MoS 2 and WO 2 moving over each other, by carrying out ab initio calculations of interlayer interaction under constant loading force. Using the Prandtl-Tomlinson model we derive the critical stiffness required to avoid stick-slip behavior. We show that these layered structures have low critical stiffness even under high loading forces due to their charged surfaces repelling each other. The intrinsic stiffness of these materials exceeds critical stiffness and thereby the materials avoid the stick-slip regime and attain nearly dissipationless continuous sliding. Remarkably, tungsten dioxide displays a much better performance relative to others and heralds a potential superlubricant. The absence of mechanical instabilities leading to conservative lateral forces is also confirmed directly by the simulations of sliding layers. © 2012 American Physical Society.Item Open Access Functionalization of graphene nanoribbons(2013) Sevinçli H.; Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimWith the synthesis of a single atomic plane of graphite, namely, graphene honeycomb structure, a new perspective for carbon-based electronics is opened. The one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have different band-gap values depending on their edge shape and width. In this contribution, we report our results showing that repeated heterostructures of GNRs of different widths form multiple quantum-well structures. The widths of the constituent parts as well as the bandgap, and also the magnetic ground state of the superlattices are modulated in direct space. We provide detailed analysis of these structures and show that superlattices with armchair edge shapes can be used as resonant tunneling devices and those with zigzag edge shape have unique features for spintronic applications. We also discuss another route of functionalizing 2D graphene, 1D GNR, and superlattices with 3d-transition metal (TM) atom adsorption. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.Item Open Access Graphene coatings: an efficient protection from oxidation(American Physical Society, 2012) Topsakal, M.; Şahin, H.; Çıracı, SalimWe demonstrate that graphene coating can provide efficient protection from oxidation by posing a high-energy barrier to the path of oxygen atom, which could have penetrated from the top of the graphene to the reactive surface underneath. A graphene bilayer, which blocks the diffusion of oxygen with a relatively higher energy barrier, provides even better protection from oxidation. While an oxygen molecule is weakly bound to a bare graphene surface and hence becomes rather inactive, it can easily dissociate into two oxygen atoms adsorbed to low-coordinated carbon atoms at the edges of a vacancy. For these oxygen atoms the oxidation barrier is reduced and hence the protection from oxidation provided by graphene coatings is weakened. Our predictions obtained from the state-of-the-art first-principles calculations of the electronic structure, phonon density of states, and reaction path will unravel how graphene can be used as a corrosion-resistant coating and guide further studies aimed at developing more efficient nanocoatings. © 2012 American Physical Society.Item Open Access Long-range interactions in carbon atomic chains(American Physical Society, 2010) Cahangirov, S.; Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimBased on first-principles calculations we revealed fundamental properties of infinite and finite-size monatomic chains of carbon atoms in equilibrium and under an applied strain. Distributions of bond lengths and magnetic moments at atomic sites exhibit interesting even-odd disparity depending on the number of carbon atoms in the chain and on the type of saturation of carbon atoms at both ends. It was shown that, the bands of carbon atomic chains behave as a one-dimensional free-electron system. A local perturbation created by a small displacement of the single carbon atom at the center of a long chain induces oscillations of atomic forces and charge density, which are carried to long distances over the chain. These long-ranged oscillations are identified as Friedel oscillations showing 1/r decay rate in one-dimensional systems.Item Open Access Monolayer honeycomb structures of group-IV elements and III-V binary compounds: First-principles calculations(American Physical Society, 2009) Şahin, H.; Cahangirov, S.; Topsakal, M.; Bekaroglu, E.; Akturk, E.; Senger, R. T.; Çıracı, SalimUsing first-principles plane-wave calculations, we investigate two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb structure of group-IV elements and their binary compounds as well as the compounds of group III-V elements. Based on structure optimization and phonon-mode calculations, we determine that 22 different honeycomb materials are stable and correspond to local minima on the Born-Oppenheimer surface. We also find that all the binary compounds containing one of the first row elements, B, C, or N have planar stable structures. On the other hand, in the honeycomb structures of Si, Ge, and other binary compounds the alternating atoms of hexagons are buckled since the stability is maintained by puckering. For those honeycomb materials which were found stable, we calculated optimized structures, cohesive energies, phonon modes, electronic-band structures, effective cation and anion charges, and some elastic constants. The band gaps calculated within density functional theory using local density approximation are corrected by GW0 method. Si and Ge in honeycomb structure are semimetal and have linear band crossing at the Fermi level which attributes massless Fermion character to charge carriers as in graphene. However, all binary compounds are found to be semiconductor with band gaps depending on the constituent atoms. We present a method to reveal elastic constants of 2D honeycomb structures from the strain energy and calculate the Poisson’s ratio as well as in-plane stiffness values. Preliminary results show that the nearly lattice matched heterostructures of these compounds can offer alternatives for nanoscale electronic devices. Similar to those of the three-dimensional group-IV and group III-V compound semiconductors, one deduces interesting correlations among the calculated properties of present honeycomb structures.Item Open Access The response of mechanical and electronic properties of graphane to the elastic strain(AIP Publishing LLC, 2010) Topsakal, M.; Cahangirov, S.; Çıracı, SalimBased on first-principles calculations, we resent a method to reveal the elastic properties of recently synthesized monolayer hydrocarbon, graphane. The in-plane stiffness and Poisson’s ratio values are found to be smaller than those of graphene, and its yielding strain decreases in the presence of various vacancy defects and also at high ambient temperature. We also found that the band gap can be strongly modified by applied strain in the elastic range.Item Open Access Spin confinement in the superlattices of graphene ribbons(AIP Publishing, 2008) Topsakal, M.; Sevinçli, H.; Çıracı, SalimBased on first-principles calculations, we showed that repeated heterostructures of zigzag graphene nanoribbons of different widths form multiple quantum well structures. Edge states of specific spin directions can be confined in these wells. The electronic and magnetic state of the ribbon can be modulated in real space. In specific geometries, the absence of reflection symmetry causes the magnetic ground state of whole heterostructure to change from antiferromagnetic to ferrimagnetic. These quantum structures of different geometries provide unique features for spintronic applications.Item Open Access Static charging of graphene and graphite slabs(Nature Publishing Group, 2011) Topsakal, M.; Çıracı, SalimThe effect of external static charging of graphene and its flakes are investigated by using first-principles calculations. While the Fermi level of negatively charged graphene rises and then is quickly pinned by the parabolic, nearly free electronlike bands, it moves down readily by removal of electrons from graphene. Excess charges accumulate mainly at both surfaces of graphite slab. Even more remarkable is that Coulomb repulsion exfoliates the graphene layers from both surfaces of positively charged graphite slab. The energy level structure, binding energy, and spin-polarization of specific adatoms adsorbed to a graphene flake can be monitored by charging. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.