Characterization of Graphenic Carbon Produced by Pulsed Laser Ablation of Sacrificial Carbon Tapes

Abstract

This paper reports on the pulsed laser deposition of nanocarbon films on metal and dielectric substrates, using high-purity sacrificial carbon tape as a carbon source on a neutral gas background. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoelectron (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman structural analyses revealed that the synthesized films have a graphenic nanocrystalline turbostratic structure, with sp2 clusters about 15–18 nm in size, depending on the laser fluence. A significant decrease in the oxygen and hydrogen contents in the films, in comparison with the target material, was established using XPS, as well as a significant decrease in the sp3 carbon content. The deposited films were found to be similar to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in composition, with a surprisingly low number of defects in the sp2-matrix. The method proposed in the work may have good prospects of application in the production of energy storage and nonvolatile memory devices.

Keywords

• graphenic carbon
• reduced graphene oxide
• Raman spectroscopy
• XRD and XPS characterization
• pulsed laser ablation