Nano Research

, Volume 5, Issue 11, pp 783–795 | Cite as

Assembly of suspended graphene on carbon nanotube scaffolds with improved functionalities

  • Sharon Xiaodai Lim
  • Gavin Kok Wai Koon
  • Da Zhan
  • Zexiang Shen
  • Barbaros Özyilmaz
  • Chornghaur Sow
Research Article
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Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

With self-assembly being an efficient and often preferred process to build micro- and nano-materials into ordered macroscopic structures, we report a simple method to assemble monolayer graphene onto densified vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) micropillars en route to unique functional three-dimensional microarchitecture. This hybrid structure provides new means of studying strain induced in suspended graphene. The strain induced could be controlled by the size and number of supporting microstructures, as well as laser-initiated localised relaxation of the graphene sheet. The assembled structure is also able to withstand high-energy electron irradiation with negligible effect on the electrical properties of the hybrid system. The hybrid system was further functionalised with quantum dots on the CNTs with the assembled top graphene layer as a transparent electrode. Significant improvements in photocurrent were achieved in this system.

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Keywords

Carbon nanotubes graphene electron beam irradiation strain photocurrent 
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Copyright information

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Sharon Xiaodai Lim
    • 1
    • 2
  • Gavin Kok Wai Koon
    • 2
    • 3
  • Da Zhan
    • 5
  • Zexiang Shen
    • 5
  • Barbaros Özyilmaz
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
  • Chornghaur Sow
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS)Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS)SingaporeSingapore
  2. 2.Department of Physics, Blk S12, Faculty of ScienceNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
  3. 3.NanoCore, 4 Engineering Drive 3National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
  4. 4.Graphene Research CentreNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
  5. 5.Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical SciencesNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore

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