Scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy of graphene on metals

TL;DR

This review discusses how scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy techniques are used to analyze the local structure and electronic properties of graphene on metal surfaces, revealing interaction strengths and electronic modifications.

Contribution

It highlights recent applications of microscopic and spectroscopic methods to study graphene on metals, emphasizing their ability to provide detailed local information.

Findings

Local interaction strength at graphene/metal interfaces can be measured.

Electronic spectrum modifications of graphene at the Fermi level are observable.

Combining microscopy with other methods enhances understanding of graphene systems.

Abstract

Graphene, a two-dimensional (2D) material with unique electronic properties, appears to be an ideal object for the application of surface-science methods. Among them, a family of scanning probe microscopy methods (STM, AFM, KPFM) and the corresponding spectroscopy add-ons provide information about the structure and electronic properties of graphene on the local scale (from inline imagem to atoms). This review focuses on the recent applications of these microscopic/spectroscopic methods for the investigation of graphene on metals (interfaces, intercalation-like systems, graphene nanoribbons, and quantum dots, etc.). It is shown that very important information about interaction strength at the graphene/metal interfaces as well as about modification of the electronic spectrum of graphene at the Fermi level can be obtained on the local scale. The combination of these results with those obtained by other methods and comparison with recent theoretical data demonstrate the power of this approach for the investigation of the graphene-based systems.