In this dissertation, I present the mechanism of graphene hydrogenation via three different electron sources: scanning electron microscopy, e-beam irradiation and H2 and He plasma irradiation. in each case, hydrogenation occurs due to electron impact fragmentation of adsorbed water vapor from the sample preparation process. in the proposed model, secondary and backscattered electrons generated from incident electron interactions with the underlying silicon substrate are responsible for the dissociation of water vapor. Chemisorbed H species from the dissociation are responsible for converting graphene into hydrogenated graphene, graphane. These results may lead to higher quality graphane films having a larger band gap than currently reported. in addition, the dissertation presents a novel and scalable method of controllably removing single atomic planes from multi-layer graphene using electron irradiation from an intense He plasma under a positive sample bias. As the electronic properties or multi-layer graphene are highly dependent on the number of layers, n, reducing n in certain regions has many benefits. for example, a mask in conjunction with this thinning method could be used for device applications.

Hydrogen is added to Graphene in various compositions and configurations to modify the band structure to produce a suitable band gap for microelectronic applications. Optical and vibrational spectra are calculated as a means of characterization. Calculations performed using DFT and Quantum Espresso. / UOIT

Nous étudions l'adsorption de molécules de C60 sur deux reconstructions riches en silicium du 6H-SiC(0001) par IPES, UPS et XPS. Nous mettons en évidence que l'adsorption de C60 sur (3*3) est singulière et définit un nouveau type de liaison entre C60 et substrat : liaison covalente forte avec désorption par recuit à haute température et récupération de la reconstruction de surface. Ces expériences illustrent la complexité de la liaison Si-C60 et permettent une nouvelle mise en perspective.En combinant ARPES à basse énergie de photon et DFT sur une monocouche de ZnPc sur Ag(110), nous prouvons que l'effet de "Umklapp de surface" est effectif pour un réseau de molécules organiques organisé à grande distance. C'est à dire que les conditions de sortie des photoélectrons de volume sont modifiées par la présence du réseau.Nous démontrons aussi que l'HREELS est une technique de choix pour l'étude de l'adsorption d'hydrogène sur graphène, et l'étude de l'interaction d'un plan de graphène sur un substrat, ici le SiC. En effet l'adsorption (réversible) d'atomes d'hydrogène sur du graphène permet à l'HREELS d'être sensible sous le plan de graphène. / We study by IPES, UPS and XPS the adsorption of fullerene on two silicon-rich reconstructions of 6H-SiC(0001). We show that adsorption of C60 on the (3*3) is singular and defines a new bonding type between C60 and a substrate: covalent bond accompanied by the desorption of molecules and the reconstruction's recovery. Our experiments shed a new light on the Si-C60 bounding complexity and provide new insights.By combining low photon energy ARPES and DFT on a monolayer of ZnPc on Ag(110), we provide a direct evidence that the "surface Umklapp'" effect is effective for long-range ordered organic films. Namely, the photoelectrons escape conditions are modified by the bare presence of the molecular lattice.We show that HREELS is a convenient tool to investigate the adsorption of hydrogen on graphene and the interaction of graphene with a substrate, SiC in our study. Indeed, the reversible adsorption of hydrogen on graphene permits the HREELS to gain sensitivity below the graphene layer.

碳(Carbon)為IV A族，每顆碳原子擁有四顆能夠鍵結的電子，碳的同素異形體有數種，最常見為石墨、鑽石、富勒烯(C_60)以及石墨烯(Graphene)，每一種同素異形體所表現的物理性質也不同。其中我以石墨烯這種二維材料進行計算，石墨烯(Graphene)是一個非常良好的導體。但在其碳原子上下交互接上氫原子(Hydrogen)可形成石墨烷扶手椅型(Graphane chair)是一個絕緣體。另一類似結構的材料為氮化硼(Boron Nitride，簡稱BN)，利用3A的硼原子(Boron)與5A的氮原子(Nitride)取代石墨烯中的碳原子形成六角形氮化硼。BN的能隙差很大，故也為不導電之絕緣體。 　　其中二維的石墨烯(Graphene)又可依特定方式裁切成一維鋸齒狀石墨烯奈米帶(1D zigzag Graphene nanoribbon)。另外若將石墨烷扶手椅型(Graphane chair)上面的氫原子(Hydrogen)拔除，考慮拔除氫原子的鏈狀(chain)的數目其導電性質與磁性將會發生變化。並將一維氮化硼(BN)連接一維鋸齒狀石墨烷奈米帶(1D zigzag Graphane nanoribbon)，於石墨烷奈米帶邊界接上兩顆氫考慮其結合能，再拔去線狀(line)與鏈狀(chain)氫原子探討其能量大小與能帶性質。 　　最後將一維鋸齒狀石墨烷奈米帶(1D zigzag Graphane nanoribbon)被拔除氫鍊(chain)處加入第一類過度金屬(1st Transition metal)，由於過度金屬擁有3d軌域之角動量，故進一步分析其磁性影響與能帶性質。以上計算皆使用Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP)計算。

This master’s thesis is focused on the subject of graphene modified with atomic hydrogen and its electronic transport properties. Structural and electronic properties of graphene and hydrogenated graphene are compared in the theoretical part of the thesis. The Raman spectroscopy technique is described, including characterization of typical Raman spectra of both unmodified and modified graphene. Samples used during experimental part of the thesis are prepared via laser and electron lithography, and are set to be measured in a vacuum chamber. Subsequently, electronic transport properties are measured before and after hydrogen modification of graphene. Finally, hydrogenated graphene is irradiated using electron beam and changes in its structure are analyzed with Raman spectroscopy techniques.

Abstract In this thesis, the magnetic resonance and magneto-optical rotation parameters are studied in single-layer carbon systems of two different dimensionalities. Based on electronic structure calculations, the spectral parameters are predicted for both extended (2D) and finite, molecular (0D) systems consisting of pure sp²-hybridised pristine graphene (G), as well as hydrogenated and fluorinated, sp³-hybridised graphene derivatives, graphane (HG) and fluorographene (FG), respectively. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters are calculated for G, HG and FG systems at their large-system limit. For their 0D counterparts, graphene flakes, qualitative spectral trends are predicted as functions of their size and perimeter type. The last group of studied carbon systems consists of 2D graphenes containing spin-1/2 paramagnetic defects. Electron spin resonance (ESR) parameters and paramagnetic NMR shieldings are predicted for four different paramagnetic systems, including the vacancy-defected graphane and fluorographene, as well as graphene with hydrogen and fluorine adatoms. The magneto-optic properties of G and HG flakes are studied in terms of Faraday optical rotation and nuclear spin optical rotation parameters, to investigate the effects of their finite size and also the different level of hydrogenation. All the different investigated parameters displayed characteristic sensitivity to the electronic and atomic structure of the studied graphenes. The parameters obtained provide an insight into the physics of these 0D and 2D carbon materials, and encourage experimental verification.

The two-dimensional material graphene possesses many impressive properties such asextraordinary carrier mobility, mechanical stiffness and optical transmittance. However,the properties of pristine graphene do not always complement the requirements of applications. Of particular interest, a band gap is needed for electronic logic devices. Recent research shows that using few-layer hexagonal boron nitride as a substrate for graphene-based electronic devices can open a band gap in graphene. Also, introducing impurities such as hydrogen atoms, transition metals or silicon atoms on or within graphene can control the electronic properties according to recent studies. Furthermore, ion irradiation is an alternative option to tailor the properties of graphene by introducing defects. In this thesis, pristine, impure or defective graphene and few-layer boron nitride were characterised by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss (EEL) spectroscopy. Through STEM and EEL spectroscopy, lattice structures and electronic properties of these two-dimensional materials could be investigated at the atomic scale. This thesis focuses on the frontier studies of theoretical and experimental EEL spectroscopy of graphene and few-layer boron nitride with impurities. In the EEL spectra of pristine graphene and boron nitride two prominent peaks were observed, which are attributed to the plasmon excitations of π- and π+σ-electrons. By introducing impurities such as hydrogen adatoms on graphene and substitutional oxygen and carbon atoms within single-layer boron nitride, our experimental and simulated EEL spectra show that their π-plasmon peaks are modified. The concentrations of these impurities were then evaluated via EEL spectra and atomic-resolution images. If other impurities, such as various transition metals and silicon atoms, are introduced on or within single-layer graphene, our simulated EEL spectra demonstrate that the geometry of these impurity clusters affects the π-plasmon peak in graphene and some impurities even enhance it. Finally, experiments on in-situ transmission electron microscopy and ex-situ STEM and Raman spectroscopy were conducted to investigate ion irradiated graphene. Many topological defects were, for the first time, observed in atomic-resolution STEM images of ion irradiated graphene. Simulated EEL spectra of defective graphene are also reported, which suggests that corrugations and dangling bonds in defects can modify out-of-plane EEL spectra and introduce intraband transitions, respectively.