The transport properties of electronic materials have been long interpreted independently from both the underlying bulk-like behavior of the substrate or the influence of ambient gases. This is no longer the case for ultra-thin graphene whose properties are dominated by the interfaces between the active material and its surroundings. Here, we show that the graphene interactions with its environments are critical for the electrostatic and electrochemical equilibrium of the active device layers and their transport properties. Based on the prototypical case of epitaxial graphene on (000 1) 6 H-SiC and using a combination of in-situ thermoelectric power and resistance measurements and simulations from first principles, we demonstrate that the cooperative occurrence of an electrochemically mediated charge transfer from the graphene to air, combined with the peculiar electronic structure of the graphene/SiC interface, explains the wide variation of measured conductivity and charge carrier type found in prior reports. V C 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx

Monolayer graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition was subjected to controlled and sequential hydrogenation using RF plasma while monitoring its electrical properties in situ. Low-temperature transport properties, namely, electrical resistance (R), thermopower (S), Hall mobility (μ), and magnetoresistance (MR), were measured for each sample and correlated with ex situ Raman scattering and X-ray photoemission (XPS) characteristics. For weak hydrogenation, the transport is seen to be governed by electron diffusion, and low-temperature transport properties show metallic behavior (conductance G remains nonzero as T → 0). For strong hydrogenation, the transport is found to be describable by variable range hopping (VRH) and the low T conductance shows insulating behavior (G → 0 as T → 0). Weak localization (WL) behavior is seen with a negative MR for weakly hydrogenated graphene, and these WL effects are seen to diminish as the hydrogenation progresses. A clear transition to strong localization (SL) is evident with the emergence of pronounced negative MR for strongly hydrogenated graphene.

Electrical transport properties were studied in situ of few layer graphene subjected to plasma-induced sequential fluorination processes. Lowtemperature transport properties and Raman spectroscopy were studied ex situ after each fluorination process. As the fluorination progresses, it was found that the initial metallic behavior of graphene (with low-temperature transport properties being governed by diffusion) changes to insulating behavior where transport properties obey variable range hopping (VRH). Emergence of pronounced negative magnetoresistance (MR) for strongly fluorinated graphene was also observed. As determined by the high-temperature resistance behavior, an emergence of a small band gap is observed and the band gap is seen to increase as the fluorination progresses.

We present recent developments in Raman probe of confined optical and acoustic phonons in nonpolar semiconducting nanowires, with emphasis on Si and Ge. First, a review of the theoretical spatial correlation phenomenological model widely used to explain the downshift and asymmetric broadening to lower energies observed in the Raman profile is given. Second, we discuss the influence of local inhomogeneous laser heating and its interplay with phonon confinement on Si and Ge Raman line shape. Finally, acoustic phonon confinement, its effect on thermal conductivity, and factors that lead to phonon damping are discussed in light of their broad implications on nanodevice fabrication.

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