Article (Scientific journals)
Physical adsorption at the nanoscale: Towards controllable scaling of the substrate-adsorbate van der Waals interaction
Ambrosetti, Alberto; Silvestrelli, Pier Luigi; Tkatchenko, Alexandre
2017In Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter, 95 (1), p. 235417
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Abstract :
[en] The Lifshitz-Zaremba-Kohn (LZK) theory is commonly considered as the correct large-distance limit for the van der Waals (vdW) interaction of adsorbates (atoms, molecules, or nanoparticles) with solid substrates. In the standard approximate form, implicitly based on local dielectric functions, the LZK approach predicts universal power laws for vdW interactions depending only on the dimensionality of the interacting objects. However, recent experimental findings are challenging the universality of this theoretical approach at finite distances of relevance for nanoscale assembly. Here, we present a combined analytical and numerical many-body study demonstrating that physical adsorption can be significantly enhanced at the nanoscale. Regardless of the band gap or the nature of the adsorbate specie, we find deviations from conventional LZK power laws that extend to separation distances of up to 10–20 nm. Comparison with recent experimental observations of ultra-long-ranged vdW interactions in the delamination of graphene from a silicon substrate reveals qualitative agreement with the present theory. The sensitivity of vdW interactions to the substrate response and to the adsorbate characteristic excitation frequency also suggests that adsorption strength can be effectively tuned in experiments, paving the way to an improved control of physical adsorption at the nanoscale.
Disciplines :
Physics
Author, co-author :
Ambrosetti, Alberto
Silvestrelli, Pier Luigi
Tkatchenko, Alexandre ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
Physical adsorption at the nanoscale: Towards controllable scaling of the substrate-adsorbate van der Waals interaction
Publication date :
2017
Journal title :
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter
ISSN :
1095-3795
Publisher :
American Institute of Physics, New York, United States - New York
Volume :
95
Issue :
1
Pages :
235417
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Focus Area :
Physics and Materials Science
Computational Sciences
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