Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene on Cu foils by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) and the growth mechanism of doped graphene were investigated. Nitrogen atoms are incorporated into the graphene lattice and most of them exist at a graphitic (quaternary) site. Plasma reaction facilitates the doping of nitrogen atoms even at a substrate temperature as high as 950 degrees C. Doped nitrogen atoms seem to distort the graphene lattice, which causes island-like growth rather than a layer-by-layer growth. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics