Influence of lattice orientation on growth and structure of graphene on Cu(001)

Journal Article · Tue Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Carbon

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2015.03.056· OSTI ID:1121946

Wofford, Joseph M. ^[1]; Nie, Shu ^[2]; Thürmer, Konrad ^[2]; McCarty, Kevin F. ^[2]; Dubon, Oscar D. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

We have used low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and diffraction (LEED) to examine the significance of lattice orientation in graphene growth on Cu(0 0 1). Individual graphene domains undergo anisotropic growth on the Cu surface, and develop into lens shapes with their long axes roughly aligned with Cu <1 0 0> in-plane directions. Furthermore, the long axis of a lens-shaped domain is only rarely oriented along a C <1 1> direction, suggesting that carbon attachment at “zigzag” graphene island edges is unfavorable. A kink-mediated adatom attachment process is consistent with the behavior observed here and reported in the literature. Likewise, the details of the ridged moiré pattern formed by the superposition of the graphene lattice on the (0 0 1) Cu surface also evolve with the graphene lattice orientation, and are predicted well by a simple geometric model. Managing the kink-mediated growth mode of graphene on Cu(0 0 1) will be necessary for the continued improvement of this graphene synthesis technique.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000; De-Ac04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1121946
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1355800
• Report Number(s): SAND2013-10323J; PII: S000862231500264X
• Journal Information: Carbon, Vol. 90, Issue C; ISSN 0008-6223
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE