Moiré-induced replica of graphene phonons on Ir(111)

The phonon dispersion of singly oriented graphene on Ir(111) has been determined by angle-resolved inelastic electron scattering. Replica of graphene phonon bands are induced by the moire superstructure. Calculations for a linear chain of C atoms attached to an infinitely heavy substrate reveal that imposing a superstructure by periodically varying the C-C interaction and the C-substrate coupling induces replicated phonons at wave vectors reflecting the supercell periodicity. Deviations between the phonon dispersion of graphene on Ir(111) and of pristine graphene are analyzed and rationalized in terms of the weak graphene-Ir(111) interaction