January 31, 2024 | Aditya Dey, Ahmad Azizimanesh, Stephen M. Wu, and Hesam Askari
This study investigates the uniaxial strain-induced stacking order change in trilayer graphene (TLG), specifically focusing on the transition from the more thermodynamically stable ABA (Bernal) stacking to the less stable ABC (rhombohedral) stacking. The researchers employ a novel strain engineering technique that involves depositing a stressor with compressive strain on a localized area of the top layer of ABA-TLG, which induces uniaxial tensile strain in the region. This strain causes interlayer slippage, leading to the formation of stable ABC domains. The underlying mechanisms of this stacking change are explored through computational simulations and experimental validation using Raman spectroscopy.
The study reveals that the transition occurs at a critical strain of approximately 0.55%, where the interlayer shear strength becomes insufficient to withstand further load, resulting in interlayer slippage. This transition is highly anisotropic, with the loading orientation playing a crucial role in the stacking change. Perfect armchair loading orientation facilitates the formation of ABC stacking, while significant deviations from this orientation can lead to an intermediate or ABA stacking configuration.
The stability of the ABC configuration is also examined, showing that it remains stable upon unloading, with residual plastic deformation observed in the strained region. Raman spectroscopy confirms the successful transformation from ABA to ABC stacking, highlighting the distinct features of the two stacking orders.
Overall, this work provides a robust and controllable method for achieving stable ABC domains in TLG, which could have significant implications for the development of advanced optoelectronic devices.This study investigates the uniaxial strain-induced stacking order change in trilayer graphene (TLG), specifically focusing on the transition from the more thermodynamically stable ABA (Bernal) stacking to the less stable ABC (rhombohedral) stacking. The researchers employ a novel strain engineering technique that involves depositing a stressor with compressive strain on a localized area of the top layer of ABA-TLG, which induces uniaxial tensile strain in the region. This strain causes interlayer slippage, leading to the formation of stable ABC domains. The underlying mechanisms of this stacking change are explored through computational simulations and experimental validation using Raman spectroscopy.
The study reveals that the transition occurs at a critical strain of approximately 0.55%, where the interlayer shear strength becomes insufficient to withstand further load, resulting in interlayer slippage. This transition is highly anisotropic, with the loading orientation playing a crucial role in the stacking change. Perfect armchair loading orientation facilitates the formation of ABC stacking, while significant deviations from this orientation can lead to an intermediate or ABA stacking configuration.
The stability of the ABC configuration is also examined, showing that it remains stable upon unloading, with residual plastic deformation observed in the strained region. Raman spectroscopy confirms the successful transformation from ABA to ABC stacking, highlighting the distinct features of the two stacking orders.
Overall, this work provides a robust and controllable method for achieving stable ABC domains in TLG, which could have significant implications for the development of advanced optoelectronic devices.