Energy band engineering via “Bite” defect located on N = 8 armchair graphene nanoribbons

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) not only share many superlative properties of graphene but also display an exceptional degree of tunability of their electronic properties. The bandgaps of GNRs depend greatly on their widths, edges, etc. Herein, we report the synthesis path and the physical properties of atomic accuracy staggered narrow N = 8 armchair graphene nanoribbons (sn-8AGNR) with alternating “Bite” defects on the opposite side. The intermediate structures in the surface physicochemical reactions from the precursors to the sn-8AGNR are characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy. The electronic properties of the sn-8AGNR are characterized by scanning tunneling spectroscopies and d//dV mappings. Compared with the perfect N = 8 armchair graphene nanoribbons (8AGNR), the sn-8AGNR has a larger bandgap, indicating that the “Bite” edges can effectively regulate the electronic structures of GNRs.