Graphene on Pt(111): Growth and Substrate interaction

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.245411· OSTI ID:1040309

Sutter, P; Sadowski, J T; Sutter, E

In situ low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) of graphene growth combined with measurements of the graphene structure and electronic band structure has been used to study graphene on Pt(111). Growth by carbon segregation produces macroscopic monolayer graphene domains extending continuously across Pt(111) substrate steps and bounded by strongly faceted edges. LEEM during cooling from the growth temperature shows the propagation of wrinkles in the graphene sheet, driven by thermal stress. The lattice mismatch between graphene and Pt(111) is accommodated by moire structures with a large number of different rotational variants, without a clear preference for a particular interface geometry. Fast and slow growing graphene domains exhibit moire structures with small [e.g., (3 x 3){sub G}, ({radical}6 x {radical}6)R2{sub G}, and (2 x 2)R4{sub G}] and large unit cells [e.g., ({radical}44 x {radical}44)R15{sub G}, ({radical}52 x {radical}52)R14{sub G}, and (8 x 8){sub G}], respectively. A weak substrate coupling, suggested by the growth and structural properties of monolayer graphene on Pt(111), is confirmed by maps of the band structure, which is close to that of isolated graphene aside from minimal hole doping due to charge transfer from the metal. Finally, the decoupled graphene monolayer on Pt(111) appears impenetrable to carbon diffusion, which self-limits the graphene growth at monolayer thickness. Thicker graphene domains, which can form at boundaries between monolayer domains, have been used to characterize the properties of few-layer graphene on Pt(111).

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Center for Functional Nanomaterials
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE SC OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 1040309
• Report Number(s): BNL--90702-2010-JA; KC020401H
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 80; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBON
DIFFUSION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
GEOMETRY
SEGREGATION
SUBSTRATES
THICKNESS
functional nanomaterials