Controllable growth of single-layer graphene on a Pd(111) substrate

Using a surface segregation technique, single-layer graphene can be grown on a carbon-doped Pd(111) substrate. The growth was monitored and visualized using Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Raman microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Appropriate adjustment of annealing parameters enables controllable growth of single-layer graphene islands and homogeneous, wafer-scale, single-layer graphene. The chemical state of the C 1s peak from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates there is almost no charge transfer between graphene and the Pd(111) substrate, suggesting weak graphene-substrate interaction. These findings show surface segregation to be an effective method for synthesizing large-scale graphene for fundamental research as well as potential applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.