Understanding the catalyst-free transformation of amorphous carbon into graphene by current-induced annealing

Barreiro A, Boerrnert F, Avdoshenko SM, Rellinghaus B, Cuniberti G, Ruemmeli MH, Vandersypen LMK (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Journals - Option B

Book Volume: 3

Article Number: 1115

DOI: 10.1038/srep01115

Abstract

We shed light on the catalyst-free growth of graphene from amorphous carbon (a-C) by current-induced annealing by witnessing the mechanism both with in-situ transmission electron microscopy and with molecular dynamics simulations. Both in experiment and in simulation, we observe that small a-C clusters on top of a graphene substrate rearrange and crystallize into graphene patches. The process is aided by the high temperatures involved and by the van der Waals interactions with the substrate. Furthermore, in the presence of a-C, graphene can grow from the borders of holes and form a seamless graphene sheet, a novel finding that has not been reported before and that is reproduced by the simulations as well. These findings open up new avenues for bottom-up engineering of graphene-based devices.

Involved external institutions

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) NL Netherlands (NL) Leibniz-Institut für Festkörper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden e.V. (IFW) / Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Barreiro, A., Boerrnert, F., Avdoshenko, S.M., Rellinghaus, B., Cuniberti, G., Ruemmeli, M.H., & Vandersypen, L.M.K. (2013). Understanding the catalyst-free transformation of amorphous carbon into graphene by current-induced annealing. Scientific Reports, 3. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep01115

MLA:

Barreiro, Amelia, et al. "Understanding the catalyst-free transformation of amorphous carbon into graphene by current-induced annealing." Scientific Reports 3 (2013).

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