Interface-driven formation of a two-dimensional dodecagonal fullerene quasicrystal

M Paßens,V Caciuc,S Karthäuser,S Blügel,R Waser,R E Dunin-Borkowski,M Feuerbacher,N Atodiresei,M Moors

doi:10.1038/ncomms15367

M Paßens, V Caciuc + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15367

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Abstract

Since their discovery, quasicrystals have attracted continuous research interest due to their unique structural and physical properties. Recently, it was demonstrated that dodecagonal quasicrystals could be used as bandgap materials in next-generation photonic devices. However, a full understanding of the formation mechanism of quasicrystals is necessary to control their physical properties. Here we report the formation of a two-dimensional dodecagonal fullerene quasicrystal on a Pt3Ti(111) surface, which can be described in terms of a square–triangle tiling. Employing density functional theory calculations, we identify the complex adsorption energy landscape of the Pt-terminated Pt3Ti surface that is responsible for the quasicrystal formation. We demonstrate the presence of quasicrystal-specific phason strain, which provides the degree of freedom required to accommodate the quasicrystalline structure on the periodic substrate. Our results reveal detailed insight into an interface-driven formation mechanism and open the way to the creation of tailored fullerene quasicrystals with specific physical properties.

Highlights

Since their discovery, quasicrystals have attracted continuous research interest due to their unique structural and physical properties
The rotational symmetry of the diffraction pattern is 12-fold, and we interpret these non-periodic domains as 2D dodecagonal QCs
Here we presented the formation of a nanoscale 2D fullerene monolayer, which does not show long-range periodicity, and the low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) pattern of which displays 12-fold rotational symmetry

Summary

Introduction

Quasicrystals have attracted continuous research interest due to their unique structural and physical properties. We report the formation of a twodimensional dodecagonal fullerene quasicrystal on a Pt3Ti(111) surface, which can be described in terms of a square–triangle tiling. Our results reveal detailed insight into an interface-driven formation mechanism and open the way to the creation of tailored fullerene quasicrystals with specific physical properties. Quasicrystals (QCs) lack real-space periodicity and possess symmetry axes that are forbidden in periodic crystals. As the order of symmetry of the crystal lattice increases, the Brillouin zone becomes more circular and a complete bandgap results. This property makes QCs that have a high degree of rotational symmetry highly promising for applications in diverse optical devices. We will show that rather unforeseen domains of apparently dodecagonal fullerene QCs emerge and discuss the formation mechanism

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