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Updated: May 21, 2026
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Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities
Published on: July 24, 2015
Structure and electronic transport in graphene wrinkles
Wenjuan Zhu1, Tony Low, Vasili Perebeinos
1IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, United States.
Nano Letters
|June 1, 2012
Summary
Wrinkles in large-scale graphene films collapse into standing structures due to van der Waals forces. This morphology limits conductance and creates anisotropic resistivity, impacting graphene electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Wrinkling is common in 2D membranes, especially during large-scale graphene growth on metal substrates.
- The structural and electronic properties of these wrinkles are not well understood despite their impact on graphene electronics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphology and electronic properties of wrinkles in large-scale graphene.
- To understand the physical mechanisms behind wrinkle formation and their impact on electrical transport.
Main Methods:
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to survey graphene wrinkle morphology.
- Energetic calculations were performed to explain morphological transitions.
- Quantum transport calculations simulated conductance through collapsed wrinkle structures.
- Systematic electrical resistivity measurements were conducted on devices with folded wrinkles.
Main Results:
- Graphene wrinkles reach a maximum height before folding over, collapsing into narrow standing structures due to van der Waals forces.
- Conductance in collapsed wrinkles is limited by a density-of-states bottleneck and interlayer tunneling.
- Folded wrinkles exhibit distinct electrical resistivity anisotropy, consistent with simulations.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals a strong coupling between graphene wrinkle morphology and electronic properties.
- Understanding these collapsed wrinkle structures is crucial for optimizing large-scale graphene electronics for high-speed applications.
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