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Theoretical modeling and numerical simulation of enhanced graphene growth under the influence of oxidizers in RF-PECVD plasma using finite element method

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Abstract

This study aims to devise a computational model to understand and investigate the growth enhancement of graphene-nanosheet under various plasma environments. We methodically introduced an oxygenated environment to the conventional argon-acetylene plasma model. An oxygenated environment stimulates necessary etching phenomena to remove amorphous carbon over the catalyst during the growth process, which enhances the overall growth process. We used COMSOL simulation software to model a radio frequency-powered inductively coupled plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition chamber operating at 30 mTorr pressure. The plasma parameters, such as electron and ion densities, along with growth parameters, such as accumulated graphene growth height and growth rates, were obtained and compared with that of the conventional argon-acetylene plasma model. The main findings of the paper are testing of the upper crest in (a) the horizontal graphene growth rates upto 1.7 × 10–5 m/s and (b) the accumulated growth height of horizontal graphene up to 58 nm (almost 1.5 times increase) over the catalyst surface, which has been shown via localized graphs. In addition, the spatial distribution of various plasma species formed in the region above the surface of the substrate and within the plasma chamber was obtained graphically and compared. The simulation results depict that by introducing minor changes in the growth environments, much better nanostructure yields can be obtained, even with the existing infrastructure. The variations in accumulated graphene growth and growth rates to change in plasma environments from the simulation hold a good constructive agreement with the existing experimental observations.

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Data Availability Statement

This manuscript has associated data in a data repository. [Authors’ comment: The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article itself, and are available from the corresponding author [Prof. S. C. Sharma] upon reasonable request].

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Acknowledgements

Author Sagar Khanna acknowledges Delhi Technological University, Delhi for providing the resources for carrying out the research.

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  1. Plasma and Nano Simulation Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, 110042, India

    Sagar Khanna & Suresh C. Sharma

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  1. Sagar Khanna
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Khanna, S., Sharma, S.C. Theoretical modeling and numerical simulation of enhanced graphene growth under the influence of oxidizers in RF-PECVD plasma using finite element method. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 138, 321 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-03917-2

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