Interactions of Pb and Te atoms with graphene

PbTe nanocrystals were deposited onto the surface of graphene and used as a reservoir of Pb and Te atoms. Electron beam irradiation at 80 kV caused Pb and Te atoms to mobilize and disperse across the surface of graphene. We studied the dynamics of these atoms in real time using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. The Pb and Te atoms were found to attach to the surface layer of amorphous carbon that resides upon the graphene, as well as its edge. Pb and Te atoms were not found residing on pristine graphene, but were found to bond to the free edge states along graphene hole edges. Small PbTe nanoclusters tended to only form on the surface of the amorphous carbon regions and not on pristine graphene.