| Sep 25, 2013 | |
Observing graphene grow |
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| (Nanowerk News) Reporting their findings in Nano Letters ("Observing Graphene Grow: Catalyst-Graphene Interactions during Scalable Graphene Growth on Polycrystalline Copper"), researchers used a range of complementary in situ techniques to reveal the highly dynamic nature of high-quality monolayer graphene (MLG)-copper interactions throughout the entirety of the graphene CVD process on polycrystalline copper catalysts. | |
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| In particular, the team's detailed in situ observations of the surface chemistry evolution during isothermal MLG growth and of the ease of oxygen intercalation between MLG and Cu under ambient conditions provide important implications for future optimization of graphene manufacturing and device integration. | |
| To determine the nature of this MLG-Cu interaction during and after growth, the researchers fingerprint the entire graphene CVD process on polycrystalline Cu in situ, under actual reaction conditions. Using realistic hydrocarbon exposures up to mbar pressure levels, they employ complementary time- and process-resolved in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in situ X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). |
| Source: American Chemical Society |