Effect of interfacial water formed between graphene and SiO2/Si substrate

Abstract

Interfacial water can exist between graphene and a substrate surface in ambient air. The effects of water on the electrical properties of graphene are complex and depend on the substrate material. We investigated the effects of interfacial water formed between graphene and a SiO2/Si substrate according to the Raman spectra. The effect of the interfacial water was influenced by the hydrophilicity of the SiO2 surface. While the interfacial water inhibited the charge transfer between graphene and SiO2, it induced hole-doping in graphene because of the dipole moment of the water molecules aligned on the highly hydrophilic SiO2 surface.