Patterned graphone-a novel template for molecular packing

CD Reddy and YW Zhang and VB Shenoy, NANOTECHNOLOGY, 23, 165303 (2012).

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/23/16/165303

Precise positioning and packing of nanoscale building blocks is essential for the fabrication of many nanoelectro-mechanical devices. Carrying out such manipulations at the nanoscale still remains a challenge. Here we propose the use of graphone domain arrays embedded in a graphene sheet as a template to precisely position and pack molecules. Our atomistic simulations show that a graphone domain is able to adopt well-defined three-dimensional geometries, which in turn create 'energy wells' to trap molecules by means of physisorption. Using the C60 molecule as a model block, the stable trapping conditions are identified. The present work presents a novel route to position and pack molecules for nanoengineering applications.

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