Publication detail

Highly Sensitive Detection of Surface and Intercalated Impurities in Graphene by LEIS

PRŮŠA, S. PROCHÁZKA, P. BÁBOR, P. ŠIKOLA, T. TER VEEN, R. FARTMANN, M. GREHL, T. BRÜNER, P. ROTH, D. BAUER, P. BRONGERSMA, H.

Original Title

Highly Sensitive Detection of Surface and Intercalated Impurities in Graphene by LEIS

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Low-energy ion scattering (LEIS) is known for its extreme surface sensitivity, as it yields a quantitative analysis of the outermost surface as well as highly resolved in-depth information for ultrathin surface layers. Hence, it could have been generally considered to be a suitable technique for the analysis of graphene samples. However, due to the low scattering cross section for light elements such as carbon, LEIS has not become a common technique for the characterization of graphene. In the present study we use a high-sensitivity LEIS instrument with parallel energy analysis for the characterization of CVD graphene transferred to thermal silica/silicon substrates. Thanks to its high sensitivity and the exceptional depth resolution typical of LEIS, the graphene layer closure was verified, and different kinds of contaminants were detected, quantified, and localized within the graphene structure. Utilizing the extraordinarily strong neutralization of helium by carbon atoms in graphene, LEIS experiments performed at several primary ion energies permit us to distinguish carbon in graphene from that in nongraphitic forms (e.g., the remains of a resist). Furthermore, metal impurities such as Fe, Sn, and Na located at the graphene−silica interface (intercalated) are detected, and the coverages of Fe and Sn are determined. Hence, high-resolution LEIS is capable of both checking the purity of graphene surfaces and detecting impurities incorporated into graphene layers or their interfaces. Thus, it is a suitable method for monitoring the quality of the whole fabrication process of graphene, including its transfer on various substrates.

Keywords

LEIS; graphene; Impurities

Authors

PRŮŠA, S.; PROCHÁZKA, P.; BÁBOR, P.; ŠIKOLA, T.; TER VEEN, R.; FARTMANN, M.; GREHL, T.; BRÜNER, P.; ROTH, D.; BAUER, P.; BRONGERSMA, H.

RIV year

2015

Released

22. 7. 2015

ISBN

0743-7463

Periodical

Langmuir

Year of study

31

Number

35

State

United States of America

Pages from

9628

Pages to

9635

Pages count

8

BibTex

@article{BUT119161,
  author="Stanislav {Průša} and Pavel {Procházka} and Petr {Bábor} and Tomáš {Šikola} and Rik {ter Veen} and Michael {Fartmann} and Thomas {Grehl} and Philipp {Brüner} and Dietmar {Roth} and Peter {Bauer} and Hidde H. {Brongersma}",
  title="Highly Sensitive Detection of Surface and Intercalated Impurities in Graphene by LEIS",
  journal="Langmuir",
  year="2015",
  volume="31",
  number="35",
  pages="9628--9635",
  doi="10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01935",
  issn="0743-7463"
}