Layer number determination in graphene using out-of-plane vibrations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a double-resonant Raman mode in few-layer graphene, enabling reliable layer number determination through out-of-plane vibrations, with potential applications to other layered materials.

Contribution

It reports a novel Raman mode (N mode) that accurately determines graphene layer number by analyzing out-of-plane phonons, supported by simulations and experimental validation.

Findings

The N mode appears on the low-frequency side of the G mode.

Simulations match experimental spectra in bilayer graphene.

The method is transferable to other layered materials like boron nitride.

Abstract

We present a double-resonant Raman mode in few-layer graphene, which is able to probe the number of graphene layers reliably. This so-called N mode on the low-frequency side of the G mode results from a double-resonant Stokes/anti-Stokes process combining a LO and a ZO' phonon. Simulations of the double-resonant Raman spectra in bilayer graphene show very good agreement with the experiments. The investigation of the out-of-plane ZO' phonon for layer number determination is expected to be transferable to other layered materials like boron nitride.