Uniaxial strain on graphene: Raman spectroscopy study and bandgap opening

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that applying uniaxial strain to graphene on a flexible substrate causes measurable Raman shifts and can induce a tunable bandgap of approximately 300 meV at 1% strain, offering a controllable method for bandgap engineering.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of strain-induced bandgap opening in graphene and proposes Raman spectroscopy as a sensitive tool for strain measurement and bandgap tuning.

Findings

Raman spectra show significant redshifts under strain.

Uniaxial strain can induce a bandgap of ~300 meV.

Flexible substrates enable controllable strain application.

Abstract

Graphene was deposited on a transparent and flexible substrate and tensile strain up to ~0.8% was loaded by stretching the substrate in one direction. Raman spectra of strained graphene show significant redshifts of 2D and G band (-27.8 cm^-1 and -14.2 cm^-1per 1% strain, respectively), because of the elongation of the carbon-carbon bonds. This indicates that uniaxial strain has been successfully applied on graphene. We also proposed that by applying uniaxial strain on graphene, tunable bandgap at K point can be realized. First principle calculations predicted a bandgap opening of ~300 meV for graphene under 1% uniaxial tensile strain. The strained graphene provides an alternative way to experimentally tune the bandgap of graphene, which would be more efficient and more controllable than other methods that are used to open bandgap in graphene. Moreover, our results suggest that the flexible substrate is ready for such strain process and Raman spectroscopy can be used as an ultra-sensitive method to determine the strain.