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Graphene at high bias: cracking, layer by layer sublimation, and fusing.
A Barreiro1, F Börrnert, M H Rümmeli
1Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands. ab3690@columbia.edu
Nano Letters
|March 16, 2012
Summary
High electrical currents cause structural changes in graphene, including cracking, evaporation, and self-healing. These phenomena offer new ways to engineer graphene for advanced electronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Graphene and few-layer graphene exhibit unique properties at high temperatures.
- Understanding current-induced structural modifications is crucial for device applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural evolution of graphene under high electrical bias.
- To explore phenomena like cracking, evaporation, and healing in few-layer graphene.
Main Methods:
- In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe structural changes.
- High bias was applied to graphene samples to induce high temperatures and current flow.
Main Results:
- Observed crack propagation from flake edges, forming constrictions and gaps.
- Documented layer-by-layer evaporation of few-layer graphene.
- Discovered self-healing of overlapping graphene pieces into a continuous sheet.
Conclusions:
- High bias induces significant, controllable structural modifications in graphene.
- These phenomena provide novel methods for graphene structuring and fabrication.
- Findings enable new pathways for designing graphene-based electronic devices.
