title: Quantitative secondary electron imaging for work function extraction at atomic level and layer identification of graphene.
abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) materials usually have a layer-dependent work function, which require fast and accurate detection for the evaluation of their device performance. A detection technique with high throughput and high spatial resolution has not yet been explored. Using a scanning electron microscope, we have developed and implemented a quantitative analytical technique which allows effective extraction of the work function of graphene. This technique uses the secondary electron contrast and has nanometre-resolved layer information. The measurement of few-layer graphene flakes shows the variation of work function between graphene layers with a precision of less than 10 meV. It is expected that this technique will prove extremely useful for researchers in a broad range of fields due to its revolutionary throughput and accuracy.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Yangbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Pierce
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD,United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD,United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodenburg
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hanchun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*-FBK) and Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (TIFPA-INFN), via Sommarive 18, Trento I-38123, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dapor
authors.affiliation: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hongzhou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang