Defect characterization in graphene and carbon nanotubes using Raman spectroscopy

This review discusses advances that have been made in the study of defect-induced double-resonance processes in nanographite, graphene and carbon nanotubes, mostly coming from combining Raman spectroscopic experiments with microscopy studies and from the development of new theoretical models. The disorder-induced peak frequencies and intensities are discussed, with particular emphasis given to how the disorder-induced features evolve with increasing amounts of disorder. We address here two systems, ion-bombarded graphene and nanographite, where disorder is represented by point defects and boundaries, respectively. Raman spectroscopy is used to study the 'atomic structure' of the defect, making it possible, for example, to distinguish between zigzag and armchair edges, based on selection rules of phonon scattering. Finally, a different concept is discussed, involving the effect that defects have on the lineshape of Raman-allowed peaks, owing to local electron and phonon energy renormalization. Such effects can be observed by near-field optical measurements on the G' feature for doped single-walled carbon nanotubes.     

Wafer scale homogeneous bilayer graphene films by chemical vapor deposition

The discovery of electric field induced band gap opening in bilayer graphene opens a new door for making semiconducting graphene without aggressive size scaling or using expensive substrates. However, bilayer graphene samples have been limited to μm(2) size scale thus far, and synthesis of wafer scale bilayer graphene poses a tremendous challenge. Here we report homogeneous bilayer graphene films over at least a 2 in. × 2 in. area, synthesized by chemical vapor deposition on copper foil and subsequently transferred to arbitrary substrates. The bilayer nature of graphene film is verified by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Importantly, spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy confirms a bilayer coverage of over 99%. The homogeneity of the film is further supported by electrical transport measurements on dual-gate bilayer graphene transistors, in which a band gap opening is observed in 98% of the devices.     

Raman spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry of bilayer ¹²C/¹³C graphene

Bilayer graphene was prepared by the subsequent deposition of a (13)C single-layer graphene and a (12)C single-layer graphene on top of a SiO(2)/Si substrate. The bilayer graphene thus prepared was studied using Raman spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry. The Raman frequencies of the (13)C graphene bands are significantly shifted with respect to those of (12)C graphene, which allows us to investigate the single layer components of bilayer graphene individually. It is shown that the bottom layer of the bilayer graphene is significantly doped from the substrate, while the top layer does not exhibit a signature of the doping from the environment. The electrochemical doping has the same effect on the charge carrier concentration at the top and the bottom layer despite the top layer being the only layer in contact with the electrolyte. This is here demonstrated by essentially the same frequency shifts of the G and G' bands as a function of the electrode potential for both the top and bottom layers. Nevertheless, analysis of the intensity of the Raman modes showed an anomalous bleaching of the Raman intensity of the G mode with increasing electrode potential, which was not observed previously in one-layer graphene.     

Temperature dependence of the Raman spectra of graphene and graphene multilayers

We investigated the temperature dependence of the frequency of G peak in the Raman spectra of graphene on Si/SiO2 substrates. The micro-Raman spectroscopy was carried out under the 488 nm laser excitation over the temperature range from -190 to +100 degrees C. The extracted value of the temperature coefficient of G mode of graphene is chi = -0.016 cm-1/ degrees C for the single layer and chi = -0.015 cm-1/ degrees C for the bilayer. The obtained results shed light on the anharmonic properties of graphene.     

温度对堆叠双层石墨烯层间耦合的影响

将不同层数堆叠和化学气相沉积法（CVD）生长的石墨烯在室温下进行拉曼光谱表征分析其层间耦合状态,并分析了不同温度下堆叠和CVD生长的双层石墨烯温度对其层间耦合的影响。研究结果表明:室温下CVD生长双层石墨烯和堆叠双层石墨烯的层间耦合状态截然不同;在25～250 ℃范围内,层间没有耦合作用或存在弱耦合作用的堆叠双层石墨烯的G峰峰位温度系数小于存在电子耦合的CVD生长双层石墨烯;超过250 ℃后,堆叠双层石墨烯G峰峰位温度系数变为正值,层与层之间可能产生了耦合,性质发生改变;在25～400 ℃ 范围内两种材料的2D峰半峰宽和G峰/2D峰强度比变化趋势几乎相同,但堆叠双层石墨烯波动大,对温度更敏感。     

Effect of the Substrate on Phonon Properties of Graphene Estimated by Raman Spectroscopy

Low-temperature Raman studies of supported graphene are presented. A linear temperature dependence of 2D peak linewidths was observed with the coefficients of 0.036 and 0.033 cm\(^{-1}\)/K for graphene on copper and glass substrates, respectively, while G peak linewidths remained unchanged throughout the whole temperature range. The different values observed for graphene on glass and copper substrates were explained in terms of the substrate effect on phonon–phonon and electron–phonon interaction properties of the material. The results of the present study can be used to consider substrate effects on phonon transport in graphene for nanoelectronic device engineering.     

Pressure-mediated doping in graphene

Exfoliated graphene and few layer graphene samples supported on SiO(2) have been studied by Raman spectroscopy at high pressure. For samples immersed on a alcohol mixture, an electron transfer of ?n/?P ～ 8 × 10(12) cm(-2) GPa(-1) is observed for monolayer and bilayer graphene, leading to giant doping values of n ～ 6 × 10(13) cm(-2) at the maximum pressure of 7 GPa. Three independent and consistent proofs of the doping process are obtained from (i) the evolution of the Raman G-band to 2D-band intensity ratio, (ii) the pressure coefficient of the G-band frequency, and (iii) the 2D band components splitting in the case of the bilayer sample. The charge transfer phenomena is absent for trilayer samples and for samples immersed in argon or nitrogen. We also show that a phase transition from a 2D biaxial strain response, resulting from the substrate drag upon volume reduction, to a 3D hydrostatic compression takes place when going from the bilayer to the trilayer sample. By model calculations we relate this transition to the unbinding of the graphene-SiO(2) system when increasing the number of graphene layers and as function of the surface roughness parameters. We propose that the formation of silanol groups on the SiO(2) substrate allows for a capacitance-induced substrate-mediated charge transfer.     

Influence of laser power on photoluminescence of hexagonal ZnO nanodisks

Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectra of hexagonal ZnO nanodisks were investigated. Normal Raman spectrum shows the intense E2 modes, which confirms a typical wurtzite structure. The broadened E2 vibration peak is due to surface/interface defect in ZnO crystal. The influence of laser irradiation heating effect on emission intensity and position has been investigated by power dependent PL and resonant Raman scattering. The threshold value of the power density for laser heating effect is 2 kW/cm2. The shift of LO phonon vibrational peaks from RRS with excitation laser power also confirms laser irradiation heating effect. Beyond the threshold value of power density, the PL intensity and position will be affected by laser heating effect.     

Studies of intrinsic hot phonon dynamics in suspended graphene by transient absorption microscopy

Correlated transient absorption and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements have been performed for monolayer graphene, both free-standing and supported on a glass substrate. The AFM images allow us to locate regions of the suspended graphene. The transient absorption traces show a fast instrument response limited decay, followed by a slower intensity dependent decay. The fast decay is assigned to a combination of coupling between the excited charge carriers and the optical phonon modes of graphene and the substrate, and diffusion of the charge carrier out of the probe region. The slow decay is due to the hot phonon effect and reflects the lifetime of the intrinsic optical phonons of graphene. The time constant for the slow decay is longer for suspended graphene compared to substrate-supported graphene. This is attributed to interactions between the excited charge carriers and the surface optical phonon modes of the substrate, which supplies an additional relaxation channel for supported graphene.     

Chemical vapor deposition of graphene on copper from methane, ethane and propane: evidence for bilayer selectivity

To study the effects of hydrocarbon precursor gases, graphene is grown by chemical vapor deposition from methane, ethane, and propane on copper foils. The larger molecules are found to more readily produce bilayer and multilayer graphene, due to a higher carbon concentration and different decomposition processes. Single- and bilayer graphene can be grown with good selectivity in a simple, single-precursor process by varying the pressure of ethane from 250 to 1000 mTorr. The bilayer graphene is AB-stacked as shown by selected area electron diffraction analysis. Additionally propane is found to only produce a combination of single- to few-layer and turbostratic graphene. The percent coverage is investgated using Raman spectroscopy and optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopies. The data are used to discuss a possible mechanism for the second-layer growth of graphene involving the different cracking pathways of the hydrocarbons.     

Angle-resolved Raman imaging of interlayer rotations and interactions in twisted bilayer graphene

Few-layer graphene is a prototypical layered material, whose properties are determined by the relative orientations and interactions between layers. Exciting electrical and optical phenomena have been observed for the special case of Bernal-stacked few-layer graphene, but structure-property correlations in graphene which deviates from this structure are not well understood. Here, we combine two direct imaging techniques, dark-field transmission electron microscopy (DF-TEM) and widefield Raman imaging, to establish a robust, one-to-one correlation between twist angle and Raman intensity in twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG). The Raman G band intensity is strongly enhanced due to a previously unreported singularity in the joint density of states of tBLG, whose energy is exclusively a function of twist angle and whose optical transition strength is governed by interlayer interactions, enabling direct optical imaging of these parameters. Furthermore, our findings suggest future potential for novel optical and optoelectronic tBLG devices with angle-dependent, tunable characteristics.     

Spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy of single- and few-layer graphene

We present Raman spectroscopy measurements on single- and few-layer graphene flakes. By using a scanning confocal approach, we collect spectral data with spatial resolution, which allows us to directly compare Raman images with scanning force micrographs. Single-layer graphene can be distinguished from double- and few-layer by the width of the D' line: the single peak for single-layer graphene splits into different peaks for the double-layer. These findings are explained using the double-resonant Raman model based on ab initio calculations of the electronic structure and of the phonon dispersion. We investigate the D line intensity and find no defects within the flake. A finite D line response originating from the edges can be attributed either to defects or to the breakdown of translational symmetry.     

Estimation of Young's Modulus of Graphene by Raman Spectroscopy

The Young's modulus of graphene is estimated by measuring the strain applied by a pressure difference across graphene membranes using Raman spectroscopy. The strain induced on pressurized graphene balloons can be estimated directly from the peak shift of the Raman G band. By comparing the measured strain with numerical simulation, we obtained the Young's modulus of graphene. The estimated Young's modulus values of single- and bilayer graphene are 2.4 ± 0.4 and 2.0 ± 0.5 TPa, respectively.     

Phonon and structural changes in deformed Bernal stacked bilayer graphene

We present the first Raman spectroscopic study of Bernal bilayer graphene flakes under uniaxial tension. Apart from a purely mechanical behavior in flake regions where both layers are strained evenly, certain effects stem from inhomogeneous stress distribution across the layers. These phenomena such as the removal of inversion symmetry in bilayer graphene may have important implications in the band gap engineering, providing an alternative route to induce the formation of a band gap.     

Evidence of localized amorphous silicon clustering from Raman depth-probing of silicon nanocrystals in fused silica

Silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) and amorphous silicon (α-Si) produced by silicon implantation in fused silica have been studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Information regarding the Raman signature of the α-Si phonon excitation was extracted from Raman depth-probing measurements using the phenomenological phonon confinement model. The spectral deconvolution of the Raman measurements recorded at different laser focusing depths takes into account both the Si-nc size variation and the Si-nc spatial distribution within the sample. The phonon peak associated with α-Si around 470?cm(-1) is greatest for in-sample laser focusing, indicating that the formation of amorphous silicon is more important in the region containing a high concentration of silicon excess, where large Si-nc are located. As also observed for Si-nc systems prepared by SiO(x) layer deposition, this result demonstrates the presence of α-Si in high excess Si implanted Si-nc systems.     

Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy reveals the dynamics of phonon-mediated excitation pathways in semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes

Electronic two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D-FT) spectroscopy is applied to semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes and provides a spectral and time-domain map of exciton-phonon assisted excitations. Using 12 fs long pulses, we resolve side-bands above the E(22) transition that correspond with the RBM, G, G', 2G and other multiphonon modes. The appearance of 2D-FT spectral cross-peaks explicitly resolves discrete phonon assisted population transfer that scatters excitations to the E(22) (Γ-pt) state, often through a second-order exciton-phonon coupling process. All 2D-FT peaks exhibit a strong peak amplitude modulation at the G-band period (21 fs) which we show originates from an impulsive stimulated Raman process that populates a ground-state G-band vibrational coherence over a 1.3 ps phonon lifetime.     

On‐Chip Rolling Design for Controllable Strain Engineering and Enhanced Photon–Phonon Interaction in Graphene

On‐chip strain engineering is highly demanded in 2D materials as an effective route for tuning their extraordinary properties and integrating consistent functionalities toward various applications. Herein, rolling technique is proposed for strain engineering in monolayer graphene grown on a germanium substrate, where compressive or tensile strain could be acquired, depending on the designed layer stressors. Unusual compressive strains up to 0.30% are achieved in the rolled‐up graphene tubular structures. The subsequent phonon hardening under compressive loading is observed through strain‐induced Raman G band splitting, while distinct blueshifts of characteristic peaks (G⁺, G^?, or 2D) can be well regulated on an asymmetric tubular structure with a strain variation. In addition, due to the strong confinement of the local electromagnetic field under 3D tubular geometry, the photon–phonon interaction is highly strengthened, and thus, the Raman scattering of graphene in rolled‐up tubes is enhanced. Such an on‐chip rolling approach leads to a superior strain tuning method in 2D materials and could improve their light–matter interaction in a tubular configuration, which may hold great capability in 2D materials integration for on‐chip applications such as in mechanics, electronics, and photonics.     

Graphene on metallic substrates: suppression of the Kohn Anomalies in the phonon dispersion

The phonon dispersion of graphene is known to display two strong Kohn Anomalies (kinks) in the highest optical branch (HOB) at the high-symmetry points Γ and K [ Piscanec , S. ; et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2004 , 93 , 185503 ]. The phonon slope around the Kohn anomalies is related to the electron-phonon-coupling (EPC) with the graphene π bands. We show that this EPC, which has strong impact, for example, on Raman scattering and electron transport, can be strongly modified due to interaction with a metallic substrate. For graphene grown on a Ni(111) surface, a total suppression of the Kohn anomaly occurs; the HOB around Γ and K becomes completely flat. This is due to the strong hybridization of the graphene π-bands with the nickel d bands that lifts the linear crossing of the π bands at K. In addition, the out-of-plane modes are also found to be strongly affected by the binding to the substrate. For other metallic substrates, where the distance between the graphene sheet and the substrate is larger, hybridization is much less pronounced and the Kohn anomaly is only weakly perturbed. From experimental phonon dispersions, one can therefore draw conclusions about the interaction strength between graphene and its different substrates.     

Molecular charge-transfer interaction with single-layer graphene

While the effect of electrochemical doping on single-layer graphene (SG) with holes and electrons has been investigated, the effect of charge-transfer doping on SG has not been examined hitherto. Effects of varying the concentration of electron donor and acceptor molecules such as tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) on SG produced by mechanical exfoliation as well as by the reduction of single-layer graphene oxide have been investigated. TTF softens the G-band in the Raman spectrum, whereas TCNE stiffens the G-band. The full-width-at-half-maximum of the G-band increases on interaction with both TTF and TCNE. These effects are similar to those found with few-layer graphene, but in contrast to those found with electrochemical doping. A common feature between the two types of doping is found in the case of the 2-D band, which shows softening and stiffening on electron and hole doping, respectively. The experimental results are explained on the basis of the frequency shifts, electron–phonon coupling and structural inhomogeneities that are relevant to molecule–graphene interaction.     

Deformation mechanisms of carbon nanotube fibres under tensile loading by in situ Raman spectroscopy analysis

Deformation mechanisms of carbon nanotube (CNT) fibres under tensile loading are studied by means of in situ Raman spectroscopy to detect the CNT deformation and stress distributions in the fibres. The G' band in the Raman spectrum responds distinctly to the tensile stress in Raman shift, width and intensity. The G' band changes with the tensile deformation of the fibre at different stages, namely elastic deformation, strengthening and damage-fracture. It is deduced that the individual CNTs only deform elastically without obvious damage or bond breaking. The yield and fracture of fibres can be due to the slippage among the CNTs.