Impact of Proton Irradiation on the Structural and Electronic Properties of Graphene Nanoscrolls: A Raman, PL, XPS, and AFM Study

In this study, we successfully fabricated graphene nanoscrolls and performed comprehensive characterizations using Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Prior to irradiation, no PL emission was detected, indicating that the scrolling process did not result in a band gap opening. However, the splitting of the Raman G peak suggests that strain was introduced by the scrolling. Peak force tapping scans (10 μm and 2 μm windows) also revealed changes in the adhesion channel in regions containing nanoscrolls, indicating modifications in surface properties. The samples were subsequently irradiated with protons at 100 keV and 500 keV, and we are currently conducting post-irradiation experiments to investigate how these properties may have changed. By the time of presentation, we anticipate having these post-irradiation results, which will provide further insights into the impact of proton irradiation on the structural, chemical, and optical properties of graphene nanoscrolls.