Imaging of stacking faults in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite using scanning tunneling microscopy

Scanning tunneling microscopy images of the (0001) plane of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite show defect regions consisting of an extensive network of partial dislocations that form extended and contracted nodes. The partial dislocations in hexagonal graphite enclose triangular regions (∼1000 nm on a side) of faulted material comprised of rhombohedral graphite. Electronic and elastic interactions of the tip with the HOPG surface are proposed to explain the observed image contrast between hexagonal and rhombohedral graphite.