Density of states deduced from ESR measurements on low-dimensional nanostructures; benchmarks to identify the ESR signals of graphene and SWCNTs

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to accurately determine the density of states in low-dimensional nanostructures using ESR measurements, providing benchmarks for identifying ESR signals in graphene and SWCNTs.

Contribution

It introduces a calibrated ESR-based method to measure the density of states, improving identification of conduction electron signals in graphene and SWCNTs.

Findings

Successful application to K-doped graphite

Provides benchmarks for ESR signals in graphene

Highlights limitations of traditional ESR identification methods

Abstract

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is an important tool to characterize the ground state of conduction electrons and to measure their spin-relaxation times. Observing ESR of the itinerant electrons is thus of great importance in graphene and in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Often, the identification of CESR signal is based on two facts: the apparent asymmetry of the ESR signal (known as a Dysonian lineshape) and on the temperature independence of the ESR signal intensity. We argue that these are insufficient as benchmarks and instead the ESR signal intensity (when calibrated against an intensity reference) yields an accurate characterization. We detail the method to obtain the density of states from an ESR signal, which can be compared with theoretical estimates. We demonstrate the success of the method for K doped graphite powder. We give a benchmark for the observation of ESR in graphene.