Spotting Very Thin Graphite Layers
Researchers are focusing on graphite monolayers, called graphene, because of their electrical and optical properties. In their quest to use graphene to build devices, however, they confront a basic problem. The simplest technique for producing the material involves scraping graphite on a silicon substrate covered with SiO2, but the resulting flakes vary in thickness. Only monolayer flakes are suitable for experimentation, but researchers have not had a good way to quickly pick out such pieces...
Photonics Spectra, October 2007