Localized states at zigzag edges of multilayer graphene and graphite steps

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Eduardo V Castro (Author) FCUP; Peres, NMR (Author) Other; Lopes M B L dos Santos (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Europhysics Letters

Vol. 84

Final page: 17001

ISSN: 0295-5075

Publisher: Institute of Physics Publishing

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 25 Citations

Scopus - 25 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-VR1

DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/84/17001

Abstract (EN): We report the existence of zero-energy surface states localized at zigzag edges of N-layer graphene. Working within the tight-binding approximation, and using the simplest nearest-neighbor model, we derive the analytic solution for the wave functions of these peculiar surface states. It is shown that zero-energy edge states in multilayer graphene can be divided into three families: i) states living only on a single plane, equivalent to surface states in monolayer graphene; ii) states with finite amplitude over the two last, or the two first layers of the stack, equivalent to surface states in bilayer graphene; iii) states with finite amplitude over three consecutive layers. Multilayer graphene edge states are shown to be robust to the inclusion of the next-nearest-neighbor interlayer hopping. We generalize the edge state solution to the case of graphite steps with zigzag edges, and show that edge states measured through scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of graphite steps belong to family i) or ii) mentioned above, depending on the way the top layer is cut. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2008

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6