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Low energy \(\hbox {Ar}^{+}\)-plasma thinning and thermal annealing of carbon films to few-layered graphene

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Abstract

Here we present results on the influence of low-energy \(\hbox {Ar}^{+}\) plasma irradiation of different duration and further annealing on highly oriented pyrolytical graphite (HOPG) layers. We used irradiation with a dose of \(10^{15}\;\hbox {Ar}^{+}/\hbox {cm}^{-2}\) intended to impact the upper 1 nm thick layer of the treated film. The influence of \(\hbox {Ar}^{+}\) plasma was evaluated by the results of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies. It was found that the treatment resulted in 20–30 % increasing of the intensity ratios of G and 2D Raman bands \((\hbox {I}_{\mathrm{2D}}/\hbox {I}_{\mathrm{G}})\) of HOPG layers. Moreover, the full width at a half maximum of the 2D band decreases from 80–90 to 55–60 \(\hbox {cm}^{-1}\). Further thermal annealing at \(270\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}\) for 7 min in air atmosphere additionally enhances the \(\hbox {I}_{\mathrm{2D}}/\hbox {I}_{\mathrm{G}}\) ratio in some cases. The XRD and XPS examinations show a significant thinning of the films and increasing of the content of \(\hbox {sp}^{3}\)-hybridized carbon. The content of C=O functional groups is increased instead of C–O groups during thermal annealing in air atmosphere.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from MPNS COST ACTION MP1204—TERA-MIR Radiation: Materials, Generation, Detection and Applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. “E. Djakov” Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Teodor Milenov & Savcho Tinchev

  2. Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 11, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Ivalina Avramova

  3. Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, 5 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Evgenia Valcheva

  4. “R. Kaishev” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 11, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Georgi Avdeev

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  1. Teodor Milenov
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  2. Ivalina Avramova
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  4. Savcho Tinchev
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  5. Georgi Avdeev
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Correspondence to Teodor Milenov.

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Milenov, T., Avramova, I., Valcheva, E. et al. Low energy \(\hbox {Ar}^{+}\)-plasma thinning and thermal annealing of carbon films to few-layered graphene. Opt Quant Electron 47, 923–935 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-014-0067-0

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