Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
10:36
Advanced Experimental Methods for Low-temperature Magnetotransport Measurement of Novel Materials
Published on: January 21, 2016
10.1K
Optical methods for determining thicknesses of few-layer graphene flakes
Wengen Ouyang1, Xin-Z Liu, Qunyang Li
1Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China. Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
Nanotechnology
|November 26, 2013
Summary
Optical microscopy (OM) methods for few-layer graphene (FLG) thickness determination are unreliable due to system parameter sensitivity. This study evaluates OM methods and offers guidelines and a script to improve FLG thickness analysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Optics
Background:
- Optical microscopy (OM) is widely used for locating and identifying few-layer graphene (FLG) on SiO2/Si substrates.
- The reliability of OM for accurately determining FLG sample thickness remains unclear.
- Color-based OM methods are sensitive to experimental parameters often overlooked in routine analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of various color-based optical microscopy methods for determining few-layer graphene (FLG) thickness.
- To identify key experimental parameters affecting the accuracy of OM-based FLG thickness measurements.
- To provide practical guidelines and a computational tool for improving OM analysis of FLG.
Main Methods:
- Presented and evaluated various optical microscopy (OM) methods utilizing color differences and contrasts.
- Analyzed the sensitivity of color-based OM methods to specific system parameters, including light source and reference substrate.
- Validated the performance of OM methods using both simulated (virtual) and experimental (real) few-layer graphene samples.
Main Results:
- Color-based optical microscopy (OM) methods for few-layer graphene (FLG) thickness determination are highly sensitive to variations in light source and reference substrate.
- These critical parameters are frequently uncontrolled in standard experimental setups, impacting measurement reliability.
- The study identified specific OM methods and parameters that influence the accuracy of FLG thickness assessment.
Conclusions:
- Standard color-based optical microscopy (OM) methods require careful control of light source and reference substrate for reliable few-layer graphene (FLG) thickness determination.
- The findings highlight the need for standardized protocols and parameter control in OM analysis of FLG.
- A user-friendly MATLAB script is provided to assist researchers in implementing improved OM-based FLG thickness analysis, minimizing experimental variability.
