Bandgap formation in graphene on Ir(1 1 1) through oxidation

A graphene monolayer on single crystal Ir(1 1 1) has been studied using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) before and after exposure to atomic oxygen. With increasing oxygen coverage the Dirac cone, centered on the K-point of the Brillouin zone, broadens and finally transforms to a parabolic rather than linear feature, introducing a pronounced energy bandgap at the Fermi level. The opening of a bandgap of at least 0.35 eV was observed at the oxygen exposure close to the saturation coverage.