Growth morphology and properties of metals on graphene

• Published in: Progress in surface science Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 397 - 443
• Main Authors: Liu, Xiaojie, Han, Yong, Evans, James W., Engstfeld, Albert K., Behm, R. Juergen, Tringides, Michael C., Hupalo, Myron, Lin, Hai-Qing, Huang, Li, Ho, Kai-Ming, Appy, David, Thiel, Patricia A., Wang, Cai-Zhuang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier 01.12.2015
• Subjects: graphene; growth morphology; metal adsorption on graphene; metal nanoclusters; metal–graphene interaction; NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; thermal stability
• ISSN: 0079-6816; 1878-4240
• DOI: 10.1016/j.progsurf.2015.07.001

Graphene, a single atomic layer of graphite, has been the focus of recent intensive studies due to its novel electronic and structural properties. With this study, metals grown on graphene also have been of interest because of their potential use as metal contacts in graphene devices, for spintronics applications, and for catalysis. All of these applications require good understanding and control of the metal growth morphology, which in part reflects the strength of the metal–graphene bond. The interaction between graphene and metal is sufficiently strong to modify the electronic structure of graphene is also of great importance. We will discuss recent experimental and computational studies related to deposition of metals on graphene supported on various substrates (SiC, SiO2, and hexagonal close-packed metal surfaces). Of specific interest are the metal–graphene interactions (adsorption energies and diffusion barriers of metal adatoms), and the crystal structures and thermal stability of the metal nanoclusters.