Free-standing graphene at atomic resolution

• Published in: Nature nanotechnology Vol. 3; no. 11; pp. 676 - 681
• Main Authors: Gass, Mhairi H, Bangert, Ursel, Bleloch, Andrew L, Wang, Peng, Nair, Rahul R, Geim, A. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.11.2008
• Subjects: Atoms & subatomic particles; Carbon; Carbon - chemistry; Electric Conductivity; Electrochemistry - methods; Electrons; Energy Transfer; Graphene; Materials Testing - methods; Models, Chemical; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Nanotechnology; Point defects; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Quantum Theory; Spectroscopy, Electron Energy-Loss; Spectrum analysis; Thermodynamics; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 1748-3387; 1748-3395
• DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2008.280

Research interest in graphene, a two-dimensional crystal consisting of a single atomic plane of carbon atoms, has been driven by its extraordinary properties, including charge carriers that mimic ultra-relativistic elementary particles. Moreover, graphene exhibits ballistic electron transport on the submicrometre scale, even at room temperature, which has allowed the demonstration of graphene-based field-effect transistors and the observation of a room-temperature quantum Hall effect. Here we confirm the presence of free-standing, single-layer graphene with directly interpretable atomic-resolution imaging combined with the spatially resolved study of both the pi --> pi* transition and the pi + sigma plasmon. We also present atomic-scale observations of the morphology of free-standing graphene and explore the role of microstructural peculiarities that affect the stability of the sheets. We also follow the evolution and interaction of point defects and suggest a mechanism by which they form ring defects.