Size-dependent propagation of Au nanoclusters through few-layer graphene

Abstract

We report the size-dependent propagation of gold nanoclusters through few-layer graphene (FLG). We employ aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to track the fate of Au₅₅ and Au₉₂₃ clusters that have been deposited, independently and isoenergetically, onto suspended FLG films using cluster beam deposition. We demonstrate that Au₅₅ clusters penetrate through the FLG, whereas the monodisperse Au₉₂₃ clusters reside at the surface. Our approach offers a route to the controlled incorporation of dopant nanoparticles and the generation of nanoscale defects in graphene.