Download all files (5.34 MB)

Collection

Citation

Description:

One-dimensional elemental nanostructures, exemplified by graphene nanoribbons, hold great potential for advanced nanoelectronics, which can be further expanded by composition of heavier group 14 elements. Although the synthesis of germanene nanoribbons (GeNRs) has been recently demonstrated through high-temperature Ge atom segregation onto Pt and Ag adlayers from stepped Ge(110) bulk crystals, atomic-scale control of their structures remains unexplored. Here, we present ultranarrow GeNRs composed exclusively of pentagonal rings via thermal treatment of germanium clusters onto Ag(111) at 300 K with high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy. Field-effect resonant tunneling spectra supported by ab initio calculations reveal that the work function of GeNRs is moderately higher than that of pristine Ag(111), resulting in a directional interfacial charge modulation. Our findings suggest that the GeNR/Ag(111) system offers an atomically defined platform for studying metal contacts, work function engineering, resonant tunneling, and substrate-stabilized one-dimensional electronic states as well as mechanical properties.

Rights:

• Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 International
  

Keyword: Germanene nanoribbons, Pentagonal germanium nanostructures, Scanning tunneling microscopy, GeNR/Ag(111) system, Field-effect resonant tunneling spectra

Date published: 2026-08-05

Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Journal:

• Nano Letters (ISSN: 15306984) vol. 26 issue. 30 p. 9976-9981

Funding:

• JSPS 25H00422
• JSPS 25K17918
• Academy of Finland 346824

Manuscript type: Publisher's version (Version of record)

MDR DOI:

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.6c02715

Related item:

Other identifier(s):

Contact agent:

Updated at: 2026-08-07 15:00:04 +0900

Published on MDR: 2026-08-07 16:28:08 +0900