### Session V10: Focus Session: Growth, Structure, Dynamics, and Function of Nanostructured Surfaces and Interfaces -- Semiconductors

8:00 AM–11:00 AM, Thursday, March 24, 2011
Room: D221

Chair: Ray Phaneuf, University of Maryland

Abstract ID: BAPS.2011.MAR.V10.9

### Abstract: V10.00009 : Epitaxial silicene formed on single-crystalline ZrB$_{2}$ thin films: structure and electronic properties

9:36 AM–9:48 AM

Preview Abstract MathJax On | Off   Abstract

#### Authors:

Antoine Fleurence
(School of Materials Science and Research Center for Integrated Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST))

Rainer Friedlein
(School of Materials Science and Research Center for Integrated Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST))

Ying Wang
(School of Materials Science and Research Center for Integrated Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST))

The experimental realization of extended, two-dimensional sheets of silicene, the silicon counterpart of graphene, has been elusive so far. Here, we demonstrate that such a two-dimensional, epitaxial honeycomb Si layer forms through surface segregation on a metallic zirconium diboride (ZrB$_{2})$ film grown itself epitaxially on Si(111). The honeycomb Si layer uniformly covers the ZrB$_{2}$(0001) surface forming a (2$\times$2) reconstruction. Surface-sensitive core-level photoelectron spectroscopy performed using a photon energy of 130 eV identifies Si atoms in different chemical states that are either in contact with Zr atoms or not, confirming details of the slightly-buckled honeycomb structure obtained through scanning tunneling microscopy. Angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectra reflect surface electronic states related to the predicted band structure of slightly-buckled, free standing silicene together with those of the uppermost Zr layer.