Graphene synthesis on SiO2 using pulsed laser deposition with bilayer predominance

Abstract

Here we report the low-defect synthesis of bilayer graphene film on SiO 2 with a nickel catalyst using pulsed laser deposition combined with rapid thermal annealing. A parametric study was performed with various initial amorphous carbon (a-C) film thicknesses and annealing temperatures and a fixed nickel catalyst film thickness. Raman spectra and mapping over large areas of up to 100 × 100 μm² were used to investigate the structure and the defects of graphene films. Optimal conditions for graphene growth were an initial a-C film thickness of 2 nm and an annealing temperature of 900°C. Results showed that 76% of the optimized film contained graphene bilayers, and 18% of the optimized film contained graphene monolayers. A transmittance of 87% at 550 nm is observed without any transfer process from the SiO 2 substrate. This paper presents experimental guidelines for optimal synthesis conditions to control graphene growth by pulsed laser deposition.

Graphene Synthesis: Method, Exfoliation Mechanism and Large-Scale Production

“…The construction methods are based on the vaporization, pyrolysis, and reaction of low-boiling organics under high-energy effects such as the laser [18], microwave [19], plasma [20], pulsed laser deposition (PLD) [21][22][23], used to deposit or precipitate carbon atoms on the surface of the substrate. After the induced nucleation, growth, crystallization, or rearrangement, large-size single-layer and few-layer graphenes are finally obtained.…”

Pulsed Laser Deposition of Carbon-Based Materials: A Focused Review of Methods and Results

“…Two main approaches have been tested for PLD of graphene: one that involves the use of metallic catalysts deposited on the substrate in different phases of the film growth, and one that proceeds without catalysts. The latter approach is particularly attractive as it eliminates the need to transfer the deposited graphene film and to grow it, in principle, directly on any desired substrate (e.g., pure and doped Si, SiO 2 and fused silica [121][122][123][124][125][126][127][128][129], sapphire [130], copper [131][132][133], glass [134]). In fact, considerations such as substrate-film lattice mismatch and film-substrate adhesion should, as usual with thin-film deposition techniques, always be considered when producing usable films for specific applications is the goal.…”

“…In [136], for example, it was observed that a low C-to-Ni thickness ratio produced the desired few-layer graphene (down to two layers), while multilayer graphene was obtained with a higher C-to-Ni thickness ratio. Bilayer graphene (and a small percentage of monolayer graphene) was also deposited in [126], where the authors found that the best conditions to deposit bilayer graphene combined an optimal amorphous C-to-Ni thickness ratio with high-temperature and rapid annealing.…”

Laser processing of graphene and related materials for energy storage: State of the art and future prospects

“…The PLD growth of graphene onto different types of substrates has been accomplished by ablation of pyrolytic carbon, graphite and HOPG targets (with or without metal catalysts) [199,200]. Mostly, few-layer and multi-layer graphene deposits have been obtained, though single layers and bilayers have also been recently reported [201][202][203]. Different laser sources (excimer lasers, Nd:YAG, CO2) have been used, and the substrate is typically maintained at RT or a few hundred degrees during deposition.…”