Graphene-mediated interaction between adsorbed impurities

Abstract

Interaction between adsorbed atoms in graphene is studied using a combination of DFT and the path integral formalism. Our results reveal a complex non-monotonic interaction profile. We show that the strength and sign of the interaction are dictated by the arrangement of impurities, as well as the system doping. These findings can be used to interpret the complex behavior of impurities in experimentally realized systems, as well as other classes of impurities, such as C substitutions in graphene.