Effect of epitaxial graphene morphology on adsorption of ambient species

• This work illustrates the impact of atmospheric gases on the surface of epitaxial graphene. The different rate of adsorption on different parts of graphene samples provides a concrete evidence that the surface morphology of graphene plays a significant role in this process. The uneven adsorption occurs only on the surface of the monolayer graphene and not on bilayer graphene. The second monolayer is distinguished and verified by the phase contrast mode of atomic force microscopy and the low energy electron microscopy, respectively. Raman spectroscopy is used to study the strain on the surface of graphene; results indicate that monolayer and bilayer graphene exhibit different types of strain. The bilayer is under more compressive strain in comparison with monolayer graphene that hinders the process of adsorption. However, the wrinkles and edges of steps of the bilayer are under tensile strain, hence, facilitate adsorption. Samples were subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy which confirms that the adsorbates on the epitaxial graphene are carbon clusters with nitrogen and oxygen contamination. For reversing the adsorption process the samples are annealed and a method for the removal of these adsorbates is proposed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adsorption

Epitaxial graphene

Strain

Epitaxial graphene; Adsorption; Strain

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)