Determination of absolute number of graphene layers on nickel substrate with scanning Auger microprobe

Abstract

Graphene segregated on Ni surface is analyzed using scanning Auger electron spectroscopy. Spectral analysis of the energy-filtered image of reflected electrons shows two main features, namely a zero-loss peak intensity that monotonically decreases with increasing number of graphene layers, and an intensity ratio of the π–π* transition peak to the zero-loss peak that monotonically increases with increasing number of graphene layers. These features can be used to determine the absolute number of graphene layers in a nanoscale region without the effect of channeling from crystal faces.