Epitaxial graphene on Ir(111) prepared in excellent structural quality is investigated by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. It clearly displays a Dirac cone with the Dirac point shifted only slightly above the Fermi level. The moiré resulting from the overlaid graphene and Ir(111) surface lattices imposes a superperiodic potential giving rise to Dirac cone replicas and the opening of minigaps in the band structure.

Properties of many layered materials, including copper-and iron-based superconductors, topological insulators, graphite and epitaxial graphene, can be manipulated by the inclusion of different atomic and molecular species between the layers via a process known as intercalation. For example, intercalation in graphite can lead to superconductivity and is crucial in the working cycle of modern batteries and supercapacitors. Intercalation involves complex diffusion processes along and across the layers; however, the microscopic mechanisms and dynamics of these processes are not well understood. Here we report on a novel mechanism for intercalation and entrapment of alkali atoms under epitaxial graphene. We find that the intercalation is adjusted by the van der Waals interaction, with the dynamics governed by defects anchored to graphene wrinkles. Our findings are relevant for the future design and application of graphene-based nano-structures. Similar mechanisms can also have a role for intercalation of layered materials.

The quantum wells formed by ultra-thin metallic films on appropriate metallic substrates provide a real example of the simple undergraduate physics problem in quantum mechanics of the 'particle in a box'. Photoemission provides a direct probe of the energy of the resulting quantized bound states. In this review the relationship of this simple model system to the real metallic quantum well (QW) is explored, including the way that the exact nature of the boundaries can be taken into account in a relative simple way through the 'phase accumulation model'. More detailed aspects of the photoemission probe of QW states are also discussed, notably of the physical processes governing the photon energy dependence of the cross sections, of the influence of temperature, and the processes governing the observed peak widths. These aspects are illustrated with the results of experiments and theoretical studies, especially for the model systems Ag on Fe(100), Ag on V(100) and Cu on fcc Co(100).

Angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) is extensively used to characterize the dependence of the electronic structure of graphene on Ir(111) on the preparation process. ARPES findings reveal that temperature programmed growth alone or in combination with chemical vapor deposition leads to graphene displaying sharp electronic bands. The photoemission intensity of the Dirac cone is monitored as a function of the increasing graphene area. Electronic features of the moir\'e superstructure present in the system, namely minigaps and replica bands are examined and used as robust features to evaluate graphene uniformity. The overall dispersion of the pi-band is analyzed. Finally, by the variation of photon energy, relative changes of the pi- and sigma-band intensities are demonstrated.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures in published for

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