xiao yanger

Nature Materials, Published online: 11 January 2023; doi:10.1038/s41563-022-01462-4

Epitaxial growth of large‐area plumbene sheets on the (111) surface of Pd_{(1− x )}Pb _x dilute alloy thin film, using a segregation method, is reported. The alloy surface exhibits a striking structure in large‐scale scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images, looking like a nanoarchitectonics “WaterCube.” Atomic‐scale STM images clearly show a basically flat honeycomb structure, which covers all the “bubbles,” regardless of their sizes and locations.

Abstract

While theoretical studies predicted the stability and exotic properties of plumbene, the last group‐14 cousin of graphene, its realization has remained a challenging quest. Here, it is shown with compelling evidence that plumbene is epitaxially grown by segregation on a Pd_{1− x} Pb _x (111) alloy surface. In scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), it exhibits a unique surface morphology resembling the famous Weaire–Phelan bubble structure of the Olympic “WaterCube” in Beijing. The “soap bubbles” of this “Nano WaterCube” are adjustable with their average sizes (in‐between 15 and 80 nm) related to the Pb concentration (x < 0.2) dependence of the lattice parameter of the Pd_{1− x} Pb _x (111) alloy surface. Angle‐resolved core‐level measurements demonstrate that a lead sheet overlays the Pd_{1− x} Pb _x (111) alloy. Atomic‐scale STM images of this Pb sheet show a planar honeycomb structure with a unit cell ranging from 0.48 to 0.49 nm corresponding to that of the standalone 2D topological insulator plumbene.

Physical activation of innate immunity by spiky particles

Physical activation of innate immunity by spiky particles, Published online: 29 October 2018; doi:10.1038/s41565-018-0274-0