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Nitrogen doping of graphene is a suitable route to tune the electronic structure of graphene, leading to n-type conductive materials. Herein, we report a simple way to insert nitrogen atoms into graphene by low-energy nitrogen bombardment, forming nitrogen-doped graphene. The formation of nitrogen-doped graphene is investigated with high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, allowing to determine the doping level and to identify two different carbon−nitrogen species. By application of different ion implantation energies and times, we demonstrate that a doping level of up to 0.05 monolayers is achievable and that the branching ratio of the two nitrogen species can be varied.

The doping of graphene to tune its electronic structure is essential for its further use in carbon based electronics. Adapting strategies from classical silicon based semiconductor technology, we use the incorporation of heteroatoms in the 2D graphene network as a straightforward way to achieve this goal. Here, we report on the synthesis of boron-doped graphene on Ni (111) calculations. Furthermore, our calculations suggest that doping with boron leads to graphene preferentially adsorbed in the top-fcc geometry, since the boron atoms in the graphene lattice are then adsorbed at substrate fcc-hollow sites. The smaller adsorption distance of boron compared to carbon leads to a bending of the graphene sheet in the vicinity of the boron atoms. By comparing calculations of doped and undoped graphene on Ni(111), as well as the respective free-standing cases, we are able to distinguish between the effects that doping and adsorption have on the band structure of graphene. Both, doping and bonding to the surface, result in opposing shifts on the graphene bands.

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We report on experimental and theoretical investigations of nitrogen-doped graphene. The incorporation of nitrogen was achieved during chemical-vapor deposition on Ni(111) using pyridine as a precursor. The obtained graphene layers were investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy. By studying C 1s and N 1s core levels, we show that the nitrogen content is influenced by the growth temperature and determine the atomic arrangement of the nitrogen atoms. Valence-band photoelectron spectra show that the incorporation of nitrogen leads to a broadening of the photoemission lines and a shift of the π band. Density functional calculations for two possible geometric arrangements, the substitution of carbon atoms by nitrogen and vacancies in the graphene sheet with pyridinic nitrogen at the edges, reveal that the two arrangements have opposite effects on the band structure. For the present experimental approach, vacancies with pyridinic nitrogen are dominant. In the latter case the vacancies generated by the nitrogen doping, not the nitrogen itself, have the main effect on the band structure. By intercalating gold between the doped graphene layer and the Ni(111) substrate electronic decoupling is achieved. After intercalation the doping remains