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The weft-knitted reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) textile that is made up of many conductive r-GO coated fibers was successfully prepared dependent on the electrospray deposition technique. Interestingly, the r-GO textile presents negative resistance variation not only in axial direction as the pressure increases but also in transverse direction as the lateral stretch increases which makes it has the advantage to fabricate the reliable sensors based on strain-resistance effect. The transverse-strain and pressure sensors based on the r-GO textiles all show the excellent sensing characteristics such as high sensitivity, reliability, and good durability, etc. The maximum gauge factors (GF) of the transverse-sensor are 27.1 and 153.5 in the x- and y-direction, respectively. And the practical detection range can up to 40% in the x-direction and 35% in the y-direction, respectively. The r-GO textile pressure sensor also shows high sensitivity for a broad pressure range that with a GF up to 716.8 kPa−1 for less than 4.5 kPa region and still has more sensitive pressure sensing characteristics even the pressure goes up to 14 kPa. Based on those good performances of r-GO textile sensors, its potential applications in human body states monitoring have been studied.

Graphene-based micro-tubes (μ-GTs) with good tubular structure were successfully fabricated from commercial graphene oxide dispersion by the electrospray deposition technique and thermal reduction. As a result of the structural changes, the electrical conductivity of the μ-GTs clearly increased as the annealing temperature increased. In particular, the μ-GTs with lower annealing temperatures exhibited distinct semiconductor properties. The electrical conduction mechanism can be explained by the 2-D variable-range hopping model. Furthermore, a transition from semiconductor to semi-metal was found to occur when the annealing temperature exceeded 900 °C, and the electrical conduction mechanism follows the exponential law of temperature in this condition.

Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) material with excellent physical properties, and its special charge transport characteristics promote extensive exploration based on graphene electronic devices. In order to determine the effect of the mesostructure on the electromagnetic transport properties of graphene, the temperature dependencies of the resistance and the magnetoresistance (MR) of reduced graphene oxide paper (rGOP) and reduced graphene oxide aerogel fiber (rGAF) were systematically measured. The conduction mechanism was systematically studied, and the graphene paper and aerogel fiber were in accordance with Mott’s 2D and 3D variable-range hopping (VRH) models, respectively. With the decrease of temperature, the transition from small-negative MR to large-positive MR was observed, the influences of wave function shrinkage and quantum interference effects on positive and negative MR were discussed in the framework of hopping conduction.

Raman spectroscopy is the prime non-destructive characterization tool for graphene and related layered materials. The shear (C) and layer breathing modes (LBMs) are due to relative motions of the planes, either perpendicular or parallel to their normal. This allows one to directly probe the interlayer interactions in multilayer samples. Graphene and other two-dimensional (2d) crystals can be combined to form various hybrids and heterostructures, creating materials on demand with properties determined by the interlayer interaction. This is the case even for a single material, where multilayer stacks with different relative orientation have different optical and electronic properties. In twisted multilayer graphene samples there is a significant enhancement of the C modes due to resonance with new optically allowed electronic transitions, determined by the relative orientation of the layers. Here we show that this applies also to the LBMs, that can be now directly measured at room temperature. We find that twisting does not affect LBMs, quite different from the case of the C modes. This implies that the periodicity mismatch between two twisted layers mostly affects shear interactions. Our work shows that Raman spectroscopy is an ideal tool to uncover the interface coupling of 2d hybrids and heterostructures., ACS Nano, 2015, 9(7), 7440-7449

Graphene and other two-dimensional crystals can be combined to form various hybrids and heterostructures, creating materials on demand with properties determined by the interlayer interaction. This is the case even for a single material, where multilayer stacks with different relative orientation have different optical and electronic properties. Probing and understanding the interface coupling is thus of primary importance for fundamental science and applications. Here we study twisted multilayer graphene flakes with multi-wavelength Raman spectroscopy. We find a significant intensity enhancement of the interlayer coupling modes (C peaks) due to resonance with new optically allowed electronic transitions, determined by the relative orientation of the layers. The interlayer coupling results in a Davydov splitting of the C peak in systems consisting of two equivalent graphene multilayers. This allows us to directly quantify the interlayer interaction, which is much smaller compared with Bernal-stacked interfaces. This paves the way to the use of Raman spectroscopy to uncover the interface coupling of two-dimensional hybrids and heterostructures.

An SiO2/Si substrate has been widely used to support two-dimensional (2d) flakes grown by chemical vapor deposition or prepared by micromechanical cleavage. The Raman intensity of the vibration modes of 2d flakes is used to identify the layer number of 2d flakes on the SiO2/Si substrate, however, such an intensity is usually dependent on the flake quality, crystal orientation and laser polarization. Here, we used graphene flakes, a prototype system, to demonstrate how to use the intensity ratio between the Si peak from SiO2/Si substrates underneath graphene flakes and that from bare SiO2/Si substrates for the layer-number identification of graphene flakes up to 100 layers. This technique is robust, fast and nondestructive against sample orientation, laser excitation and the presence of defects in the graphene layers. The effect of relevant experimental parameters on the layer-number identification was discussed in detail, such as the thickness of the SiO2 layer, laser excitation wavelength and numerical aperture of the used objective. This paves the way to use Raman signals from dielectric substrates for layer-number identification of ultrathin flakes of various 2d materials.

Transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductors have been widely studied due to their distinctive electronic and optical properties. The property of TMD flakes is a function of its thickness, or layer number (N). How to determine N of ultrathin TMDs materials is of primary importance for fundamental study and practical applications. Raman mode intensity from substrates has been used to identify N of intrinsic and defective multilayer graphenes up to N=100. However, such analysis is not applicable for ultrathin TMD flakes due to the lack of a unified complex refractive index ($\tilde{n}$) from monolayer to bulk TMDs. Here, we discuss the N identification of TMD flakes on the SiO$_2$/Si substrate by the intensity ratio between the Si peak from 100-nm (or 89-nm) SiO$_2$/Si substrates underneath TMD flakes and that from bare SiO$_2$/Si substrates. We assume the real part of $\tilde{n}$ of TMD flakes as that of monolayer TMD and treat the imaginary part of $\tilde{n}$ as a fitting parameter to fit the experimental intensity ratio. An empirical $\tilde{n}$, namely, $\tilde{n}_{eff}$, of ultrathin MoS$_{2}$, WS$_{2}$ and WSe$_{2}$ flakes from monolayer to multilayer is obtained for typical laser excitations (2.54 eV, 2.34 eV, or 2.09 eV). The fitted $\tilde{n}_{eff}$ of MoS$_{2}$ has been used to identify N of MoS$_{2}$ flakes deposited on 302-nm SiO$_2$/Si substrate, which agrees well with that determined from their shear and layer-breathing modes. This technique by measuring Raman intensity from the substrate can be extended to identify N of ultrathin 2D flakes with N-dependent $\tilde{n}$ . For the application purpose, the intensity ratio excited by specific laser excitations has been provided for MoS$_{2}$, WS$_{2}$ and WSe$_{2}$ flakes and multilayer graphene flakes deposited on Si substrates covered by 80-110 nm or 280-310 nm SiO$_2$ layer., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. Accepted by Nanotechnology

Edges naturally exist in a single-layer graphene sample. Similarly, individual graphene layers in a multilayer graphene sample contribute their own edges. We study the Raman spectrum at the edge of a graphene layer laid on n layer graphene (nLG). We found that the D band observed from the edge of the top graphene layer exhibits an identical line shape to that of disordered (n+1)LG induced by ion-implantation. Based on the spectral features of the D and 2D bands, we identified two types of alignment configurations at the edges of mechanically-exfoliated bilayer and trilayer graphenes, whose edges are well-aligned from their optical images., 9 pages, 2 figures

The in-plane shear ($C$) modes between neighbor layers of 2-4 layer graphenes (2-4LGs) and the corresponding 2-4 layer graphene scrolls (2-4LGSs) rolled up by 2-4LGs at edges are investigated by Raman scattering. In contrast to the result that only one $C$ mode is observed in 3-4LGs, all the $C$ modes of 3-4LGs are observed in 3-4LGSs, whose frequencies agree with the theoretical prediction by the force-constant and linear chain models. The results indicate that the $C$ mode intensity of 2-4LGSs is resonantly enhanced by the electronic transition gaps of band structures of 2-4LGS structures at edges, which makes it possible to observe all the $C$ modes. Indeed, for a simple assumption, the calculated band structures of twisted ($n+n$)LGs ($n=2$,3,4) show parallel conduction and valence bands and the corresponding Van Hove singularities in the joint density of states along $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$-M, $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$-K and/or K-M directions. The intensity resonance of the $C$ modes provides direct evidence to explain how the band structure of few layer graphenes can be sensitive to local stacking configurations. This result can be extended to $n$ layer graphene ($ng4$) for understanding the basic phonon and electronic properties of multilayer graphenes. This observation of all the $C$ modes in graphene scrolls can be foreseen in other two-dimensional materials with similar scroll structures.

The ideal edges of bilayer graphene (BLG) are that the edges of the top and bottom graphene layers (GLs) of BLG are well-aligned. Actually, the alignment distance between the edges of the top and bottom GLs of a real BLG can be as large as the submicrometer scale or as small as zero, which cannot be distinguished using an optical microscope. Here, we present a detailed Raman study on BLG at its edges. If the alignment distance of the top and bottom GLs of BLG is larger than the laser spot, the measured D mode at the edge of the top GL of BLG shows a similar spectral profile to that of disordered BLG. If the alignment distance is smaller than the laser spot, the D mode at a real BLG edge shows three typical spectral profiles similar to that at the edge of SLG, that of the well-aligned edge of BLG, or a combination of both. We show the sensitivity and ability of Raman spectroscopy to acquire the alignment distance between two edges of top and bottom GLs of BLG as small as several nanometers, which is far beyond the diffraction limit of a laser spot. This work opens the possibility to probe the edge alignment of multi-layer graphene.

Because of novel features in their structural, electronic, magnetic and optical properties, especially potential applications in nanoelectronics, the few-layer graphene intercalation compounds (FLGICs) have been intensively studied recently. In this work, the dielectric constant of the doped graphene of stage-1 FeCl3-GIC is obtained by fitting the optical contrast spectra. And fully intercalated stage-1 FeCl3-FLGICs were prepared by micromechanical cleavage method from graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) for the first time. Finally, we demonstrated that the thickness of stage-1 FeCl3-GICs by micromechanical cleavage can be determined by optical contrast spectra. This method also can be used to other FLGICs, such as SbCl5-FLGICs and AuCl5-FLGICs, etc.

We report polarization resolved photoluminescence from monolayer MoS2, a two-dimensional, non-centrosymmetric crystal with direct energy gaps at two different valleys in momentum space. The inherent chiral optical selectivity allows exciting one of these valleys and close to 90% polarized emission at 4K is observed with 40% polarization remaining at 300K. The high polarization degree of the emission remains unchanged in transverse magnetic fields up to 9T indicating robust, selective valley excitation., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

A two-dimensional honeycomb lattice harbours a pair of inequivalent valleys in the k-space electronic structure, in the vicinities of the vertices of a hexagonal Brillouin zone, K±. It is particularly appealing to exploit this emergent degree of freedom of charge carriers, in what is termed 'valleytronics'. The physics of valleys mimics that of spin, and will make possible devices, analogous to spintronics, such as valley filter and valve, and optoelectronic Hall devices, all very promising for next-generation electronics. The key challenge lies with achieving valley polarization, of which a convincing demonstration in a two-dimensional honeycomb structure remains evasive. Here we show, using first principles calculations, that monolayer molybdenum disulphide is an ideal material for valleytronics, for which valley polarization is achievable via valley-selective circular dichroism arising from its unique symmetry. We also provide experimental evidence by measuring the circularly polarized photoluminescence on monolayer molybdenum disulphide, which shows up to 50% polarization., The monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide molybdenum disulphide has recently attracted attention owing to its distinctive electronic properties. Cao and co-workers present numerical evidence suggesting that circularly polarized light can preferentially excite a single valley in the band structure of this system.

We synthesize the homogenous graphene films on cheap industrial Cu foils using low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The quality and the number of layers of graphene are characterized by Raman spectra. Through carefully tuning the growth parameters, we find that the growth temperature, hydrocarbon concentration and the growth time can substantially affect the growth of high-quality graphene. Both single and bilayer large size homogenous graphenes have been synthesized in optimized growth conditions. The growth of graphene on Cu surface is found to be self ceasing in the bilayer graphene process with the low solubility of carbon in Cu. Furthermore, we have optimized the transfer process, and clear graphene films almost free from impurity are successfully transferred onto Si/SiO2 substrates. The field effect transistors of bilayer graphene are fabricated, which demonstrates a maximum hole (electron) mobility of 4300 cm2 V?1s?1 (1920 cm2V?1s?1) at room temperature.