Publication detail

Layer-by-layer growth of bilayer graphene single-crystals enabled by proximity catalytic activity

Zhang, ZH. Zhou, LW. Chen, ZX. Jaros, A. Kolíbal, M. Bábor, P. Zhang, QZ. Yan, CL. Qiao, RX. Zhang, Q. Zhang, T. Wei, W. Cui, Y. Qiao, JS. Liu, LW. Bao, LH Yang, HT. Cheng, ZH. Wang, YL. Wang, EG. Liu, Z. Willinger, M. Gao, HJ. Liu, KH. Ji, W. Wang, ZJ.

Original Title

Layer-by-layer growth of bilayer graphene single-crystals enabled by proximity catalytic activity

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Direct growth of large-area vertically stacked two-dimensional (2D) van der Waal (vdW) materials is a prerequisite for their high-end applications in integrated electronics, optoelectronics and photovoltaics. Currently, centimetre- to even metre-scale monolayers of single-crystal graphene (MLG) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have been achieved by epitaxial growth on various single-crystalline substrates. However, in principle, this success in monolayer epitaxy seems extremely difficult to be replicated to bi- or few-layer growth, as the full coverage of the first layer was believed to terminate the reactivity of those adopting catalytic metal surfaces. Here, we report an exceptional layer-by-layer chemical vapour deposition (CVD) growth of large size bi-layer graphene single-crystals, enabled by proximity catalytic activity from platinum (Pt) surfaces to the outermost graphene layers. In-situ growth and real-time surveillance experiments, under well-controlled environments, unambiguously verify that the growth does follow the layer-by-layer mode on open surfaces of MLG/Pt(111). First-principles calculations indicate that the transmittal of catalytic activity is allowed by an appreciable electronic hybridisation between graphene overlayers and Pt surfaces, enabling catalytic dissociation of hydrocarbons and subsequently direct graphitisation of their radicals on the outermost sp2 carbon surface. This proximity catalytic activity is also proven to be robust for tube-furnace CVD in fabricating single-crystalline graphene bi-, tri- and tetra-layers, as well as h-BN few-layers. Our findings offer an exceptional strategy for potential controllable, layer-by-layer and wafer-scale growth of vertically stacked few-layered 2D single crystals.

Keywords

Two-dimensional materials; Frank-van der Merwe Growth; Environmental scanning; Electron microscopy; In-situ transmission electron microscopy; DFT calculation; Chemical vapour deposition

Authors

Zhang, ZH.; Zhou, LW.; Chen, ZX.; Jaros, A.; Kolíbal, M.; Bábor, P.; Zhang, QZ.; Yan, CL.; Qiao, RX.; Zhang, Q.; Zhang, T.; Wei, W.; Cui, Y.; Qiao, JS.; Liu, LW.; Bao, LH; Yang, HT.; Cheng, ZH.; Wang, YL.; Wang, EG.; Liu, Z.; Willinger, M.; Gao, HJ.; Liu, KH.; Ji, W.; Wang, ZJ.

Released

1. 12. 2024

Publisher

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Location

London

ISBN

1878-044X

Periodical

Nano Today

Year of study

59

Number

102482

State

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Pages count

10

URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748013224003384?via%3Dihub

BibTex

@article{BUT190015,
  author="Zhang, ZH. and Zhou, LW. and Chen, ZX. and Jaros, A. and Kolíbal, M. and Bábor, P. and Zhang, QZ. and Yan, CL. and Qiao, RX. and Zhang, Q. and Zhang, T. and Wei, W. and Cui, Y. and Qiao, JS. and Liu, LW. and Bao, LH and Yang, HT. and Cheng, ZH. and Wang, YL. and Wang, EG. and Liu, Z. and Willinger, M. and Gao, HJ. and Liu, KH. and Ji, W. and Wang, ZJ.",
  title="Layer-by-layer growth of bilayer graphene single-crystals enabled by proximity catalytic activity",
  journal="Nano Today",
  year="2024",
  volume="59",
  number="102482",
  pages="10",
  doi="10.1016/j.nantod.2024.102482",
  issn="1878-044X",
  url="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748013224003384?via%3Dihub"
}